Chitsanza lies in the western rain shadow of Nyangani Mountain range. The area is in natural region 4 and 5 and is characterized by low rainfall giving rise to patchy and denuded vegetative cover particularly indigenous trees, poor, soils rainfall and always prone to droughts. The area also experiences frequent droughts due to the growing problem of climate change. The communities are depended on woody biomass as a source of fuel but the forest reserves are now depleted and cannot meet the household energy demands. Food production is threatened by nonavailability of water for irrigation and the poor soils, which have been derived of nutrients as a result of excessive run off.

The degraded environment in Chitsanza is caused by factors such as soil erosion, soil infertility, deforestation, over harvesting of wood for fuel and uncontrolled grazing livestock. Poverty levels are high in this community due to limited livelihood options and this has fueled the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The overall goal of the project is to mitigate climate change through increased carbon dioxide sequestration resulting from reforestation and ehabiliation of denuded ares in ard 19 and 22 of Nyanga district.

Specific Objectives
1. To reduce deforestation and rehabilitate denuded areas in the Ward 19 and 22
2. To reduce carbon emissions through the adoption of fuel saving technologies that promotes efficient energy use at household level.
3. To improve the livelihoods of communities in ward 19 and 22 through improved agricultural practices.

Activities for objective 1:

1. Establishment of household nurseries and 10 village nurseries.
2. Tree planting in denuded areas and establishment of household and village woodlots including orchards and planting of jatropha live fences around homesteads and gardens.

Outcomes under objective 1:
1. Improved vegetation cover
2.Denuded areas in 10 villages recover from deforestation
3.Villages have supplies of timber and firewood.

Activities of objective 2:
1 Exchange visits on wood saving technologies
2. Construction of 2 demonstration centers on chingwa stoves
3. Construction and use of chingwa stoves in households

Outcomes under objective 2:
1. Adoption of the chingwa stove as fuel saving device
2. Increased adoption of the technology
3. Efficient use of biomass energy

Activities of objective 3:
1. Identification and fencing of wetlands in the 11 villages
2. Demarcation's of rotational grazing areas and planting of leguminous seeds in the 15 villages
3. Promotion of mechanical and biological soil protection practices
4. Training and demonstration on goat keeping and breeding in pens to stop fire ranging of animals.

Outcomes for objective 3:
1. Increase in availability of vegetation and watre and increase in aquatic species
2. Healthy livestock
3. Soil erosion controlled in all 11 villages
4. Reduced pressure for grazing
5. adaptive management leading to effective delivery
6. Replication of ides and policy influence.

Cross cutting activities:
1. Monitoring and evaluations
2. Documentation and information sharing