Bio-diversity

Jozani is a biodiversity hotspot area. It has over 100 butterfly species. 4 of these are endemic. It is also home to the main population of Zanzibar Red Colobus Monkeys (Piliocolobus Kirkii), which is also endemic and listed as endangered by IUCN. The National park is threatened by extraction pressure from surrounding communities. Local communities encroach into the Park for fuelwood and building poles. The encroachment is increasing due to high poverty levels of the surrounding communities, who depend on the natural resources in the National Park for survival; encroachment is increasing at alarming rates. Therefore, there is urgent need to devise interventions that would create livelihood alternatives in order to minimize pressure on Park resources. Butterfly farming is cited as one of such interventions. Woodlots outside the Park boundaries are another intervention that can provide bio-resources outside the National Park. Project Objective 1. Establishment of butterfly farming as a non-timber income generating project to reduce dependency on National Park based forest products for livelihood 2. Promote tree-planting activities in farmers fields for local supply of fuelwood building poles, fruits and fodder for butterfly.

Tanzania