The project addresses GEFSGP focal area of biodiversity conservation. The proposed intervention falls under capacity building category. The project will build on work already funded by the GEF/SGP in Phase I, amounting to US$29 945.50 from 2006 to 2008.

Background to community:
Household livelihoods are centered on subsistence farming. The average household owns 7 cattle, 8 goats, and 15 chickens and 5 turkeys. A large diversity of crops is grown for household consumption and for sale. These include maize, wheat, beans, paprika, onions, potatoes, garlic, sunflowers, potatoes, green vegetables and tomatoes. Market gardening is an important source of income for most villagers and the communities will make considerable progress toward higher incomes and more secure livelihoods if biodiversity and wetlands continue to be conserved and protected.

A number of villagers, using careful land management and rainwater harvesting around their homesteads have produced large gains in agricultural production, tree density and available water. This has helped also to increase their household incomes by 30-50% in three years. However, this need to be replicated in other poor homesteads surrounded by ecosystems that have been degraded which tend to limit their potential as sources of environmental income.

In this community it is also clear that poverty has serious negative implications for the environment since the poor while protective of their lands, also tend to degrade the same land while trying to assure their subsistence. Lack of fuel wood exerts pressure on women and children and also exacerbate their vulnerability. Within this scenario, energy increasingly becomes a critical input to adapt to the impacts of climate change.


The following activities were covered in the first phase of the project:
1.Increasing wood-biomass production
Under this activity tree nurseries planned were established and completed. These were planted at household and community levels. At household level, twenty-seven (27) nurseries were established and one at community level. One woodlot measuring one hectare was fenced and carrying 100 gum-trees and 300 indigenous. Through environmental workshops, villagers were highly discouraged to continue planting gum trees but grow more indigenous trees. Jatropha trees were also planted as live fence against livestock.

2.Environmental awareness workshops
The importance of woodlands, forests and water and their economic functions, both community and national level, to achieve sustainable livelihoods were issues ZIMNET highlighted and underscored. Two workshops, one for traditional leaders and the other for the villagers, were held geared to raise environmental awareness, biodiversity protection and conservation. By-laws to assist in the enforcement and monitoring of biodiversity protection and conservation, were formulated and documented in a participatory manner.

3.Promotion of Chingwa Stove as Energy Saving Device
Due to high deforestation, village members were trained on how to construct a wood-fuel saving stove and two workshops were held for this purpose. with four (3) builders trained. After the training, eight (8) stoves were then built and install as case studies in selected households. Shortage of grates also hampered further construction of these stoves.

4.Management of Water Resources within the Mountain Range
In order to harvest water sustainably, a weir and two (2) reservoirs were constructed to capture the perennial water from the streams and rivulets which are abundant within the mountain range.This water is intended to be channeled to fields and gardens below the range. Plastering of the reservoirs will be done in Phase two (2).

5.Cross-cutting Issues
Project members were exposed to various courses through workshops to enhance their skills and knowledge such as training for transformation, conflict resolution and management, gender and development, principles of book-keeping and financial management. These courses will be continued during Phase 2 for continuity and also introduce report writing training workshops to enhance project documentation skills.

Results Achieved
Nursery sites were completed and fenced ? two at community level and 120 at household level. Woodlots were fenced and now carry very few gum-trees as members were highly discouraged to grow eucalyptus as they suck a lot of underground water and affect wetland areas. Jatropha was also planted as live fence against livestock but cuttings planted did not do well. More of these will be obtained in Avila, Nyanga North during Phase 2.

During this Phase environmental awareness workshops were more of an eye-opener to most project members. However, their awareness to some extent was raised and will be enhanced during Phase 2. With by-laws having been instituted, deforestation was reduced but more enforcement and monitoring need to be done to retain biodiversity.

The Chingwa Stove, despite having only eight stoves constructed during this phase, within traditional kitchens , has proved to be very popular with villagers. Shortages of materials such as grates
was a huge challenge as they to be bought from suppliers in Harare and there were no funds available. The rest of the materials can be found locally. For those households that have managed to install it the have enjoyed its multi-purpose role such as heating water, baking and cooking. It uses very little fire wood. It has also helped as an incubator for chickens.

The weir and reservoirs are currently full to capacity and only waiting to be channeled to households, fields and gardens below the range when the remaining materials such as polythene pipes and other accessories become available during Phase 2. This is the genesis of a small-scale irrigation scheme which has already been achieved.

Other cross-cutting issues helped project members very much, especially, realizing the importance of reducing conflicts during implementation, sharing duties and responsibilities and also gained valuable knowledge and skills through book-keeping. One of the key aspects of the training programmes they understood more was sustainability which underscored the need to be viable and self sustaining if ZIMNET eventually pulls out of the project as the facilitator.

Problem statement
? Deforestation still occurs caused by cutting down of trees for wood fuel by some wayward villagers, especially at night to avoid being arrested under the by-laws and regulations that have been instituted. This is contributing to the destruction of habitats for wildlife as evidenced by their movement further into the mountain range. This destruction is also causing serious gully formations.
? Shortage of firewood for domestic use, also caused by deforestation.
? Destruction of biodiversity due to population density and other human activities as people seek places for settlement.
? Households lack improved access to water for domestic and livestock use.
? Trees planted in woodlots and orchards are dying due to lack of adequate water supplies.
? Established nutrition gardens are not as productive productive as they should due to lack of adequate supplies of water.
? Wetland areas and natural springs below the range are drying out due to reduced rainfall and the impact of human beings and livestock.

Project Goal
The goal of this project is sustainable management of biodiversity, woodlands and water sources in order to improve and support the livelihoods of households in Bonde Village.

Objective
Improve management of indigenous woodlands and wetland areas on the slopes and foothills of Nyangani Mountain Range and also access natural water sources through water harvesting.

Summary Activities
-Woodlands conservation and protection and reforestation for carbon storage.
-Forest management to improve stream flows and reduce sedimentation of irrigation canals
-Forest management to prevent deforestation leading to carbon sequestration
-Monitoring by-laws that protect natural springs, stream bank cultivation and deforestation
-Watering/irrigating woodlots, orchards, home and field gardens.


Transferring water from the weir on the mountain range to reservoirs:
-Plastering water reservoirs
-Laying pipes that connect the weirs to the reservoirs
-Transferring water to strategic points from reservoirs
-Constructing six troughs for livestock
-Construction of 50 Chingwa stoves as alternative energy saving interventions

Outputs
Improved management of freshwater systems at local level
Reduction in siltation
Constant and adequate supply of water in woodlot, orchard and gardens
Improved conservation of forests

Outcome
-More water flows into streams and rivers and thus into weir and reservoirs
-Reduction in and control of soil erosion
-Healthy trees and other plants in orchard and woodlot, vegetables and gardens
-Reduction in deforestation for fuel wood

Impacts
- Availability of water for domestic and agricultural purposes
-Stream and river flow enhanced
- Improved ecosystems
-Improvement in income generation and food security
- Living wetlands
-Woodlands and forests regeneration