Keeling Curve

Project Summary / Description:

Forests in the Greater Mahale Ecosystem are under increasing pressure from inappropriate agricultural practices like slash and burn, illegal settlements by immigrant farmers and pastoralists, cultivation on steep slopes without contours. These have resulted into clearing of natural forests for new farming areas, soil erosion leading to low soil fertility and sedimentation of Lake Tanganyika, low crop productivity and food insecurity. 

Indiscriminate dry season fires, illegal timber harvesting, irrational charcoal making and fuel wood extraction also contribute significantly to degradation of forests, soils, water sources and increase Green House Gas emissions in the project area.

The planned project will essentially build on the current efforts employed by TNC to reverse the above described undesirable situation by implementing the following activities:
Raise awareness on the current negative impacts of unsustainable agricultural practices among the various community groups.

Educate and build capacities of smallholder farmers so that they can adopt Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) through facilitation of farmer field school training sessions at farmer-based agricultural demonstration plots.

Promote the establishment of farmers‚ groups necessary to enhance collective actions like marketing.

Create and strengthen linkages between smallholder farmers and business service providers with the objective of increasing demand and access to key agricultural inputs by the farmers. This will be accomplished through facilitation of dialogue between smallholder farmers and business services providers.

The project idea will be developed in collaboration with Local Government Authorities as primary technical services providers and the core institutions responsible for sustaining the project outcomes beyond the project lifetime.

Best Estimate of GHG Avoidance/Reduction of This Project (Tonnes CO2 Equivalent/Year):

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