Environmental policy and administrative management

Context: Matogoro Mountain catchment area is located in the North West side of Songea, about 35 km from Songea. The catchment is currently the main source of water both for urban and rural communities in Songea district. In addition, the catchment supplies water to Ruvuma river basin, which is one of the nine key river basins in Tanzania. The Matogoro Mountain catchment forests are facing dangerous levels of deforestation and forest degradation. Notable threats include encroachment for agriculture, widespread tree cutting for fuel wood, charcoal and timber. As a result, there is decreased flow of water both for domestic and industrial demand in Songea district and for feeding the Ruvuma river, which is a key transboundary river in South Tanzania. Therefore, the proposed project intends to promote conservation of the degraded catchment forest and introduce modern bee keeping as an alternative income generating activity to the forest-dependent local communities that live adjacent to the catchment forest. About the Proponent: Maliso Women Group is based in Songea. It was established and registered in 2010. Its principle objective is to rehabilitate degraded forest areas through reforestation actions. Furthermore, it strives to sensitize its members, who are mostly women to plant trees in open areas. Between 2011 and 2012, the women group through support from TANROADS planted 5 million trees in Songea district. Under the proposed project, which the women group will implement in close collaboration with the Local Government Authorities in Songea district, it is expected that women will be trained on how to forge linkages between projects that generate income and at the same time conserve the environment. Project s Primary Objective: To conserve the Matogoro Mountain catchment forests through tree planting, bee keeping and fish farming activities

Tanzania