Environmental policy and administrative management

1.0 BACKGROUND Dhlalambi 1 ward is located in Gokwe South District, which lies in the agroecological natural regions III and IV. Kalahari sands, which are easily eroded through run-off or excessive winds are characteristic of the district. This programme will concentrate in 8 villages which are the worst affected environmentally. Environmental degradation has resulted from unsustainable population and livestock pressure over the more than fifty years of settlement in the area. This area was one of the areas where black people were resettled by the colonial regime under the land tenure system. The area already had poor sandy soils, is hot and experiences little annual rainfall and frequent droughts. It also has scanty vegetation cover. With increased population and livestock pressure on such areas, there has been extensive degradation resulting in formation of massive gullies in most areas. Other factors leading to the formation of gullies are clearance of vegetation for cultivation, deforestation as a result of collection of wood for fuel , cutting of trees for construction purposes. The gullies are at various stages of formation with most being massive and almost uncontrollable. 40 such gullies have been identified in the ward to be reclaimed by this programme. The large set of them is more than 10 meters wide and about three meters deep running for several kilometers in length. The gullies are now a danger to the community and livestock. 2.0 PROJECT GOAL Combating land degradation through sustainable land use management and restoration of degraded lands. 3.0 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES 1. To enhance the skills and knowledge of community to sustainably utilize and manage land and natural resource 2. To promote the adoption of sustainable land management practices including gully reclamation. 3.0 ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES FOR OBJECTIVE 1: 3.1 ACTIVITIES a) Community mobilization and leadership meetings b) Environmental baseline survey c) Training on land use management, environmental conservation and conservation farming training. d) Awareness campaigns e) Field days. 4.0 OUTCOMES a) Increased community awareness on environmental issues b) Application of skills and technique at field and homestead level c) Environmental protection and conservation farming increase in the number of community households practicing conservation farming. d) Replication of project in other wards. 5.0 ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES FOR OBJECTIVE 2: 5.1 ACTIVITIES a) Procurement and transport of materials for soil conservation and gully reclamation/ rehabilitation b) Establishment of nurseries for grasses and trees. c) On-site training on gully reclamation and soil stabilisation techniques d) Gully rehabilitation and soil conservation activities. OUTCOMES a) Homestead and denuded areas have increased vegetative cover b) Community practice conservation farming as a sustainable and more productive land use strategy c) Improved land productivity d) More land available for cultivation and grazing e) Reduced siltation of water bodies.

Zimbabwe