Mradi Wa Kilimo Mseto
Agroforestry for Value-chain-based Climate Action in Tanzania
Tanzania’s Kigoma Region, renowned for its agricultural potential, is undergoing a green transformation. Our agroforestry project in the Uvinza district is harmonizing traditional farming with tree planting. By strategically integrating crops and trees, this initiative is not only bolstering food security but also revitalizing the region’s ecosystem. This approach, which marries agricultural productivity with environmental stewardship, is poised to become a model for sustainable land use in Tanzania.
Uvinza, Tanzania
Project Location: Uvinza, Tanzania
Methodology: Afforestation, Reforestation, Revegetation (ARR)
Standard: Gold Standard
Plantation Area: 2,500 HA
Farmers Engagement: 2,500 Farmers
Species
Anacardium Occidentale
Acacia Polyacantha
Tectona Grandis
Elaeis Guineensis
Khaya Anthoteca
Gmelina Arborea
Theobroma Cacao
Albizia Lebbeck
Decarbonizing Value Chains
By integrating tree planting with crop cultivation, this initiative offers a landscape approach to farm management and decarbonization of supply chains. The program aims to enhance soil health, livelihoods and ground water levels. A bottom-up approach drives the implementation of this farmer-led initiative, where the farmers of the region are presented with multiple options of agroforestry models including cover cropping and shade trees for their existing cultivation practices. The program also integrates community football teams across the villages of implementation as a social bonding exercise to increase participation and engagement in the program. Seed banks are another important aspect of this program, which serves to increase the quality of produce and preserve high-yield varieties.
The centralized seed banks in this project serve to preserve and promote the use of seed varieties with high nutritional value. This is crucial for introducing more climate resilient varieties into the cropping mix. Additionally, the regenerative approach of using agri waste residue leads to diversification of crop systems which helps in improved nutritional security.
The region of Kigoma is logistically quite challenging with farmers facing supply chain challenges and the resulting financial losses. Modern agroforestry techniques are crucial for the diversification of produce as well as for food security. Income stability and financial literacy are two very important pillars of this project, and hence this program implementation includes access to mainstream banking and micro finance for these communities
With varied weather patterns playing a part in crop losses over the years, this program aims to mitigate this risk with the addition of more resilient varieties of food and cash crops to help these smallholders tide over the risk of crop loss. These value chains include products such as cacao, which can be a good source of income for these farming communities, if grown in a more climate resilient manner.
Tanzania is home to a diverse set of species, both flora and fauna. Programs such as these help ground water retention and enhancement of soil health across the watershed which directly helps local biodiversity ecosystems thrive. The project has a landscape based approach and will help restore and enable significant positive impact on life on land in this region.
Striving for Equal Opportunity
Forestry for Income Generation
Nationwide Chemical-free Produce
Grassroots Climate Action at Scale
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