Actions that link smallholders with markets and financial services

Value chain development and integrated market systems development were essential tools to link environmental restoration with economic resilience. Farmers were mobilized and organized into groups, associations and cooperatives; groups organized around selected value chains, with groups enabled to sign contracts and share resources and capacities. Improved bargaining was made possible due to the confidence in producing a harvest, thanks to sufficient water.

  • Sufficient water led farmers to have confidence to engage with markets and with financial services.
  • Organizational development was needed to assist in groups as they matured and faced new problems.
  • Multi-stakeholder platforms were formed around certain value chains to bring all players together and resolve market bottlenecks. Farmers, suppliers and buyers often all benefited from these discussions.

Leadership development is critical in landscape restoration. Similarly, governance and oversight or accountability mechanisms (such as via government bodies) also are essential in smooth handling of potential problems along the way. 

Accessing the voluntary carbon market.

Access to the voluntary carbon market provides unconditional finance allowing the communities to earn revenue from the protection of their natural resources. Earned revenue results in increased ownership over the project and empowers forest communities to determine how that revenue will best be spent to improve forest protection activities and enhance community development in a way the serves the entire community. 

Carbon Tanzania is the project developer who connects the forest communities to the international voluntary carbon market by sourcing clients, organizing verification and registering the certified carbon credits on the respective environmental registries.

For carbon credits to be sold on the international voluntary carbon market they must first be verified by an international third-party certification standard. The Ntakata Mountains project is certified by VERRA’s VCS and CCBA standard.

Access to market must also be established. Carbon Tanzania has an established network within the voluntary carbon market enabling the sale of the certified carbon credits.

Clients purchasing carbon credits need to have genuine carbon reduction strategies to uphold the legitimacy of the project generating the certified carbon credits.

Most clients will also have their own certification and CSR requirements that can determine which certification standard they need their credits to be verified by.

A results-based payments for conservation system measured and monitored using a REDD (avoided deforestation) project methodology.

REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) projects can link sustainable management of biodiverse forests to economic and livelihood improvements. Using the REDD monitoring framework and methodology for carbon accounting, the forest communities of the Ntakata Mountains are empowered to earn carbon revenues through achieving reduced deforestation rates in the wildlife-rich forests of western Tanzania.

Once a REDD project has been developed and verified it must undergo regular certification to prove that deforestation has reduced and that the resulting carbon credits are real, measurable, permanent and additional. Without certification the carbon credits cannot be sold, putting an end to this revenue stream.

Ownership of the project by the forest communities conducting the forest protection activities is critical to the success of the results-based REDD project.

A team dedicated to the lengthy development and certification process of the REDD project and commitment from the forest communities to uphold their responsibilities for the duration of the contract is fundamental to the success of the project.

Transparency and mutual accountability between project developer and the communities is imperative throughout the development of the project and throughout the execution of project activities.

Collaboration with landscape partners including Village and District governments, TNC and Pathfinder International (Tuungane).

Collaborating and co-operating with local governments and organisations who share a common vision and common goals, yields enhanced results with greater efficiency, both in terms of resources used and funds deployed.

The first step is to identify partners with common goals but with varying strengths to achieve enhanced results. Time then needs to be taken to meet regularly, whereby relationships are developed and nurtured, to gain a deeper understanding of individual needs and to review and update procedures to ensure resources are shared and that strengths are being maximized.

A shared understanding of the importance of forest community land rights, the development and promotion of good governance, and respect for community development priorities is critical for successful collaboration.

The process of collaborating with landscape partners and local government institutions demands a long term approach in order to build genuine trust and mutual understanding. Our relationships with our local partners have generally been positive and mutually beneficial, but we have learned that continued efforts need to be made to ensure that alignment of goals and values is maintained across institutions as it can be challenging for new personnel in the respective organisations to immediately embrace the historical relationships between partners.

Algorithms for likelihood of carcass and need for alert

Specific algorithms process the GPS data on position, altitude, speed and temperature and consider all zonation as poisoning-prone areas (based on land use for grazing and previous events) to determine if alert is necessary.  

Algorithms need to rule out vulture descending onto a cliff or nest, and to include only descent onto areas where carcass likelihood is highest (based on ground inclination).

Algorithm calculates slope of the land at point of descent and adds this to the poisoning likelihood determination.

  • need excellent detailed GIS data of ground features and topography 
  • need lots of data of previous poisoning events
  • need data on land use (for rangeland or crops)

 

  • High resolution topgraphy layers are very important to rule out vultures landing on unlikely sites 
Advanced loggers receive GPS data
  • Integration of data on position, altitude, speed, and temperature from Orintela transmitters with the INPA information system 
  • IT professionals and developers
  • input from Ornitela

Input from transmitter manufacturer helps to integrate with home systems.

GPS-Tagged vultures send out data

In order to receive GPS data there have to be a requisite numner of birds with approriate tags that transmit real-time data.

 

  • experienced staff to capture and tag vultures
  • financial backing to purchase tags and the data

The more tagged birds there are, the wider the coverage and the better the success.

Establishement of Kayirabwa Chimpanzee Conservancy for conservation and protection of wildlife migratory routes in northern Albertine rift forests, western Uganda

Engagement of 500 private forest owners to set aside 6000 hectares for conservation of chimpanzee corridors

  • Local support for chimpanzee conservation
  • Great Potential for agro-ecotourism
  • Great potential for nature based enterprises eg. bee keeping
  • Conducive government policies

These corridor forests are disappearing quickly, however, and if these findings are not acted upon soon there will be little corridor forest left to conserve and most of these species will become extinct in this region. There is for Kayirabwa Chimpanzee Conservancy to provide economic incentives to land owners to enable these corridor forests to  offset the current incentives to destroy the forest for agriculture. 

Incentive and sustainability

Our project is based on the premise that farmers want sustainability and are incentivised to achieve this. No farming operation will be viable in the long run unless it is done in an ecologically and economically responsible manner. Climate change has led to an increased frequency of drought, as well as an increased severity of drought in the western regions of South Africa. Stocking rates are effectively falling as a result of climate change, and this necessitates the need for farmers to diversify income in order to survive. Failure to change will have a devastating impact on biodiversity.

We are incentivising farmers to protect biodiversity through the adoption of more sustainable farming practices, e.g. grazing rest, correct stocking rates and habitat restoration activities. While these lead to fewer, but better quality animals, the farmer still experiences a loss of income. We help the farmer compensate for this through the adoption of non-farming activities such as ecotourism.

Through continual engagement with the farmer, we are able to address concerns as they are raised and ensure that the farmer perceives active engagement in the partnership as an incentive to improve his farming operation.

The region has an existing tourism industry which can be leveraged upon. Known as the ‘bulb capital of the world’, the area is well known and relatively close (a 3.5 hr drive) to an international airport. However, this season lasts approximately 2-months, and this project seeks to extend tourism operations throughout the year.

The farmer needs to be open to tourism as a means of generating tourism income. 

The project has immediate potential to generate additional revenue and can be custom designed to suit the infrastructure and abilities of the farmer.

  • Choose projects which are quick to implement and quick to show results.  This will booster partnerships and improve the chances of other promises being fulfilled.
  • Farmers are not keen on paperwork and administration and often require support in this area, especially as it relates to the new venture.
  • It is very important to demonstrate that the incentive is working as this underpins continued collaboration. Celebrate the small successes.
Conservation framework

In South Arica we are fortunate to have a very progressive legislative programme for conservation on private land. The Biodiversity Stewardship framework allows for the voluntary declaration of private lands into the protected areas network following a clearly defined process.  As the process is well established, it is relatively easy to implement it and commitments are well understood. However, governmental conservation agencies have constraints on their capacity and rely on NGOs such as the EWT, to facilitate the process of identifying suitable properties, engaging with willing farmers and/or landowners, and developing the associated tools such as the farm management plan and annual plans of operation.

Landowners sign an agreement with the provincial conservation authorities formalising the declaration into the title deed of the property. This framework largely results in a win-win as biodiversity is conserved, the country is better able to meet its conservation goals in terms of multi-lateral agreements, and the farmer has a more sustainable farming operation to support his livelihood. Subsidiary benefits can be accrued to local communities through entrepreneurship opportunities. To pursue our conservation exchange, we merged this framework with other agreements between the farmer and the EWT.

  • The NGO has funds and resources on the ground to engage with farmers / landowners.
  • A good understanding by the landowner of exactly what they are committing to and the long-term expectations they need to meet. This should be based on clearly defined contractual terms.
  • Landowner willingness to participate in the Biodiversity Stewardship Programme.
  • Willingness to change farming practices.
  • Ability of NGOs such as the Endangered Wildlife Trust to support the farmer over the longer term.
  • Good relationships with local members of the provincial government.
  • A contractual framework is important as it clearly defines what is expected. Keep contracts short and to the point – the focus must be more on roles and responsibilities than about legal enforceability.
  • It can take time to have property declared under the Biodiversity Stewardship Programme due to departmental signoff processes. It is, therefore, important to ensure that the farmers understand the delays and where the process is at.
  • Rather than focus on the Biodiversity Stewardship process, focus on enabling the framework around improved management and the necessary support to get there.