General

Forest degradation is a major challenge in Kiwengwa-Pongwe Forest Reserve (K-PFR) in Unguja island Zanzibar. This is due to increased pressure by densely populated surrounding villages; 96% of the people use firewood as their primal source of energy. The c ommunities' livelihoods depend on the sustainability of the forest and its capacity to prevent erosion. However the villagers' awareness and means of sustainable forest use and awareness of land rights are inadequate.A forest protection NGO MUMKI has been registered in the area with the support of previous GST's project. MUMKI and Forest Conservation Committees (FCC) that carry out forest conservation activities consist of residents of villages around Kiwengwa-Pongwe (K-P). MUMKI works with DFNR that does n ot have enough resources for wholesome forest protection and there are no other forest protection organizations in the area. Therefore KIPPO aims to build MUMKI's capacity to manage as an independent NGO that can effectively protect the forest during and a fter the project. The aim is to develop civil society where people can democratically decide on the matters concerning their immediate surroundings. Objectives will be achieved by organizing trainings for MUMKI on association management and fundraising sup porting in establishing an office and assisting in networking and village visits. A coordinator who acts as a link between Finland and Zanzibar will be hired.MUMKI's activities include organising FCC patrolling in the forest and raising awareness in the vi llages about the importance of forest protection. During the project MUMKI will become a better known actor in the area; it will work as a source of information in livelihoods land rights and sustainable forest use. MUMKI organizes forest protection activi ties; 7000 tree seedlings will be planted to create an agroforestry buffer zone to reduce pressure on K-P forest. The villages that are the source of most pressure to K-P will be beneficiaries for MUMKI's pilot project in which sun ray cookers are distribu ted in order to decrease the need of firewood. MUMKI's funding opportunities broaden as local honey production is supported.

General

In this project the implementing organisation gives training on legal political, economic and land rights of the indigenous communities. It also gives training on the community forest rights claiming process, on the value addition and trade of non-timber f orest produce. It gives leadership trainings to community and cultural leaders. Through exposure visits and cultural sensitization activities it will aim at strengthening the identity of the indigenous people.It aims at activation of the traditional medici ne practices by fostering medicinal plants cultivation and documentation of the practices.

General

This project addresses the ongoing critical development challenge of changes in land use in Indonesia, Burma (Myanmar), and India. It will generate knowledge and an evidence-driven intervention strategy to help people gain more security over the land and natural resources they rely on for their livelihoods and survival. Industrial projects, large-scale agriculture Since the 1990s, successive governments of growing Asian economies have promoted trade and industrial expansion as critical drivers for economic stability and growth. This focus has led to rural and peri-urban landscapes being transformed by industrial projects, infrastructure, and large-scale agriculture. For people who depended on the land, these transformations have resulted in serious social and ecological impacts: -direct physical displacement and dispossession -loss of livelihoods -pollution or land degradation Legal rights remain unprotected There are very few easily accessible remedies to address the impacts of land use change. While regulations to minimize and mitigate damage exist, implementation is poor. There is widespread non-compliance to regulations. Administrative agencies are ineffective at responding to local community needs and integrating them into policy or legal designs. Laws are also ineffective. They serve as a threat, but not something that people can use to exercise their basic rights. Lawyers are costly, and often focused on formal court channels that are impractical for most people The UN Commission on Legal Empowerment estimates that four billion people cannot exercise their legal rights because of costs, dysfunction, corruption, or abuse of power. There is a recognized need for intermediary institutions, such as media, political parties, and unions that help citizens exercise their rights. Community paralegals as a solution Community paralegals also offer an effective solution. They are attracting increasing attention from international organizations, including the UN Commission on Legal Empowerment, for being cost-effective, flexible, and able to manage plural legal systems. They are especially noted for their effectiveness in dealing with land rights disputes in many countries, including several in Africa. This project will map land use changes in Indonesia, Burma, and India. Researchers will study how community paralegals can -collect rigorous data on impacts of land use change -translate impacts into legally actionable evidence -help affected communities seek remedies through formal administrative and legal institutions closest to the point of impact The project team will use conduct locally grounded research that identifies workable solutions to reduce the adverse effects of land use change on communities. The research will advance knowledge, inform evidence-based policy, and build evidence to promote responsible land governance.