Kiwengwa-Pongwe Protection + Open Civil Society Project - KIPPO

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.