Environmental research

PROJECT OVERVIEW: This two-year project seeks to improve the livelihoods of rural communities by building their capacity to manage and use land, water and renewable energy resources. The proposed interventions will promote the the sustainable management of the environment by reducing the emission of green house gasses (GHG) and by promoting conservation agriculture, permaculture, and agro-forestry. The target communities comprise 8 762 households in Nyanyadzi (ward 8) of Chimanimani district; and Musani (Ward 4) and Muumbe-Zamuchiya Ward 23) in Chipinge district. They will benefit by way of increased food production diversified sources of income, development of skills for creating wealth, and improved living conditions through the use of clean and affordable energy for cooking, lighting and heating. The project responds to global and national priorities in terms of development of renewable energy resources whose use contributes towards climate change mitigation and conservation farming to enhance food security in an ecologically highly sustainable productive ecosystem. It will consolidate gains from ongoing community-driven programmes being implimented in the proposed project areas. PROJECT GOAL: The primary project goal is climate change mitigation through reducing green house gas emission and improved management of land through erosion control and conservation agriculture. PROJECT OBJECTIVES: #Mitigating climate change and reducing the emission of green house gases through the use of solar energy and improved efficiency in the use of wood fuel. #Combating land degradation and improving the management of land, water resources through erosion control, afforestation and erosion control. #Strengthening the leadership and management capacity of the communities through training and exposure visits. PROJECT ACTIVITIES 1. Capacity building of community institutions. 2. Management and utilization of renewable energy resources. 2.1 Establishing two charge centers for solar batteries. 2.2 Installing solar lights in 180 homes in three project areas. 2.3 Solar drying fruits, green vegetables, tomatoes. 2.4 Constructing 40 wood saving stoves in each project area, i.e. a total of 120 stoves. 2.5 Propagation of Jatropha CL to cover at least 4 hectares with 8 800 plants. 3. Land rehabilitation and conservation. 4. Project Reporting, Documentation, Monitoring and Evaluation. ANTICIPATED PROJECT RESULTS: Project Objective 1- *mitigating climate change by reducing the emission of green house gasses-: #OUTPUTS- energy innovations are developed and successfully adopted by communities- reduced consumption of firewood,reduced cutting of trees.-: #OUTCOMES- Reduced green house gas emissions.-:# IMPACT-improved access to clean forms of energy for cooking and heating. Project Objective 2-*combating land degradation and improving the management of water resources and arable land-: #OUTPUTS-the capacity of communities to harvest water and manage of land is developed,-Irrigation infrastructure in Nyanyadzi is improved,-soil erosion is arrested-: #OUTCOMES- increased food production from irrigatin schemes,-increased planting of Jatropha JCL and other trees around homesteads and plots.-:# IMPACT- wood ecosystems cover, thus increasing the carbon sink that mitigates climate change. Project Objective 3 -*Strengthening the leadership and management capacity of communities-:#OUTPUTS- coordination and management capacity of communities is strengthened-:#OUTCOMES-Communities participate effectively in their own development process.-:#IMPACT-Sustainable and community-driven development.

Zimbabwe