Bio-diversity

Sedze Village has a total number of 200 households. Of these households, 165 are male-headed, 30 are female-headed and five (5) are child-headed. There are 13 men and 18 women who are participating in Sedze village. The average number of children per household is 5. Most adult male household members are employed in urban areas, while their spouses remain at home to look after the welfare of the children and to manage the household assets. Household livelihoods are centered on subsistence farming. The average household owns 7 cattle, 8 goats, and 15 chickens and 5 turkeys. A large diversity of crops is grown for household consumption and for sale. These include maize, wheat, beans, paprika, onions, potatoes, garlic, sunflowers, potatoes, green leafy vegetables and tomatoes. Market gardening is an important source of income with vegetables, onions and garlic among successful crops. Project members including men, women and the youths add up to 450, 300 of whom are females, 150 are men. a. Problem Statement Sedze Village is situated in a highland area on the foot slopes of the Nyangani Mountain Range. Households depend on subsistence farming, most of which is practiced on steep slopes; thus contributing to soil erosion and land degradation. Environmental challenges have been exacerbated by recurrent droughts since 2001. Droughts are forcing communities to expand arable plots on hill slopes, into wetlands and to over-harvest biodiversity resources in order to earn cash to meet household needs. Today, Sedze Village is characterized by drying wetland areas, land degradation as evidenced by the development of gullies, decline in crop yields and food shortages. People drive their livestock for long distances of about 2-3km to water points on the hill slopes. This contributes towards the creation of gullies along the paths followed by livestock to these water sources. Under the first phase of the project the community managed to implement the following activities: Completed Nursery sites fenced: 2 at community level and 120 at household level. Total size in hectares is 2 hectares Completed 1 ha woodlot fenced and carry 100 gum trees, 300 indigenous trees 300 Jatropha trees planted but still ONGOING 2 workshops have been held. Still ONGOING Significant levels of awareness have been raised One workshop held. Still ONGOING Two workshops held. Still ONGOING NOT COMPLETED Only three builders trained Eight stoves constructed but Still ongoing because of shortage of materials such as grates Completed By-laws formulated, adopted and documented Enforcement by committee and headmen -ONGOING Completed Following items were purchased: G1 for weirs, 3 Inlets, 4 outlets, 3 Elbows, 2 Adaptors and Gate valves NOT COMPLETED. 2700m polythene piping mobilized 2 reservoirs completed Done but no longer visible due to vegetation cover over time Dug but now invisible due to soil cover over time Completed One orchard measuring 4900sq metres is fenced Completed 1 ha woodlot fenced with indigenous trees and 12 to be planted many . 5 gullies reclaimed Project Goal and Objectives - PHASE 2 Project Goal: The goal of this project is sustainable management of biodiversity and water resources in order to improve and support the livelihoods of households in Sedze Village. Project Objectives: -To improve access to water resources -To ensure better management of indigenous woodlands and wetland areas on the slopes and foothills of the Nyangani Mountain Range. -To reduce deforestation through construction of fuel savng stoves Project Activities: Establish2 more indigenous tree nurseries of acacia albida, Musasa andMunhondo. Establish four more woodlots of about 1 hectare More cuttings and seeds to be obtained in Avila, Nyanga North 20 households are going to plant Grow Jatropha plant in fields Focus on current challenges and issues: E.g. Invasive Alien Species, Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) Hold 3 more workshops. Focus on impact and effects of by-laws Hold five more workshops Train five more builders Construct 50 more stoves Share by-laws with council through workshops Enforcing and monitoring by committee and Headmen Purchase 50 bags of cement for plastering Mobilize 5482m metres of poly pipes for mainline Re-do surveying of trench routes Re-dig trenches linking weir and reservoirs Construct 10 troughs for livestock Maintenance of orchard and woodlot Three more gullies to be reclaimed. Each gully is about 10 by 15 metres wide and will plant Vertiva grass 1 Workshop: Building gendered approaches to community development Anticipated Results:

Zimbabwe