Bio-diversity

BACKGROUND Mambemba village is situated in Chitsanza ward 19 of Nyanga District. the village has a total number o 150 households. Household livelihoods are centered on farming. Development challenges that the community have identified are as follows: * drought that has contributed to water shortages * loss of water through seepage in the furrows *poverty that is being exacerbated by widespread unemployment *stream bank cultivation *lack of adequate water supply *an increase in child headed families. PROJECT GOAL *this project is to manage woodlands and water resources in a sustainable manner in order to improve the livelihoods of households in Mambemba village. OBJECTIVES *increased wood biomass production at the household and community levels. *improved efficiency in the use of wood biomass energy resources for cooking *improved access to water resources and better management of wetlands in the foothills of Nyangani mountain range PROJECT ACTIVITIES * afforestation and woodland management -establishment of 6 hectares of eucalyptus woodlots - establishment of 30 ha of jatropha -4 ha of orchards adjacent to the project nurseries. *improving efficiency in the utilization of wood biomass energy resources -training 10 women on how to construct and use chingwa stove -facilitating the construction of 10 demonstration chigwa stoves by the trained women. *improving access to and management of water resources -harnessing water by constructing a weir - constructing four water storage tanks - constructing drinking four troughs for livestock so that they do ot drink from streams, the weir or natural springs. -formulating and adopting bylaws on protecting natural springs -enforcing bylaws and regulations on stream bank cultivation. -afforestation along water courses PROJECT RESULTS *improved access to water for tree nurseries, woodlots and orchards * increased income from sells of fruits and jatropha seeds *beekeepings and vegetable production for the benefit of the community *access to better cooking technology *reduced soil erosion and gully formation *improved grazing resources and systems *increased environmental awareness.

Zimbabwe