1.1 Project Summary
The Chitora wetlands conservation and integrated livelihoods for biodiversity conservation is a community driven intervention to be implemented in ward 1 (Chitora) in the rural communities of Shurugwi district, under Tongogara Rural District Council.The key environmental problems to be addressed by the project include the current wetlands depletion as a result of unsustainable utilization and land degradation in the area. All members of the community lead a natural resource based livelihoods; therefore there is a sharp decline and degradation of wetlands due to the heavy reliance on them by communities for gardening and watering livestock during the dry season when water becomes scarce.

The project targets three major wetlands which are Faquar 1, Tugwi ? Dekete and Mushandirapamwe. The Faquar 1 wetland measuring 4 hectares is in Faquar Village 1 and is being utilized for community gardening by a group of 8 men and 17 women household heads. Initially, the wetland had a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Most of them are on the verge of extinction due to degradation and drying up of some parts of the wetland. Most common flora species include reeds, water berry trees, water lilies and many species of wetland grasses.The fauna species present include different bird species like stock bird, king fisher, ducks and red barret. Different insects, snails, catfish and amphibian species are found in the wetland. This wetland plays a very important role in providing enough water for community needs during droughts when all other areas dry up. The members of the garden produce leaf vegetables, tomatoes and other horticultural produces for household consumption. They use the brush wood fencing system due to lack of security fence and other innovative live fencing techniques. The cutting down of trees in the surrounding area has a negative feedback on the quality of this wetland due to encroaching deforestation and catchment degradation.

Tugwi-Dekete wetland is an extensive 6 hectares area closer to Tugwi River. It is being utilized for community gardening by 21 household members of the Chitora village comprising of 11 women and 10 men. The most dominant fauna species are different types of grass, reeds, water weeds, tuber plants, and some indigenous tree species which are on the verge of extinction. This wetland area is a habitat of most insect species, birds like weaver birds, white stock birds, ducks and red barret. Hares, amphibians and fish species like breams, catfish and carp are very common in this wetland. During the dry season, the 2 hectares garden initiated in the past 2 years produces maize and vegetables for household consumption. The major challenges to this wetland?s conservation are deforestation of the surrounding catchment due to brushwood fencing as well as unplanned land use for the wetland gardening project. Local community members has shown that when given necessary resources for fencing and wetlands management training activities, they have a greater opportunity to improve their livelihoods through the proposed wetland conservation project for biodiversity conservation.

The Mushandirapamwe wetland in-Mushandirapamwe village is a 5 hectares piece of land that is evergreen even during the drought period. The fauna species in the area include amphibians, fish (breams, catfish and carp), worms, repitiles, different bird species (weaver birds, ducks and king fisher), small mammals and different insects. There are also many species of grass and some water berry tree species on the flora side. Most of the biodiversity species in this wetland are not clearly visible during dry season due to wetland degradation and drying up of the area. A total of 15 members comprising of 6 men and 9 women are working in this wetland as individual gardens, producing vegetables, sweet potatoes, sugar cane and maize for household consumption. They also sell the surplus from the gardens to local markets. Under the individual use of wetland sections, there is ?tragedy of the commons? in terms of poor utilization of the wetlands since there is lack of coordinated conservation and management practices for this wetland.

The proposed approach including training, awareness raising and setting upof demonstration plots are some of the participatory approaches for community empowerment.The communities will be supported with fencing materials in order to protect their wetlands as well as reducing deforestation of the surrounding catchments as a result of brushwood fencing. This gives them an opportunity for implementing planned wetland gardens for improving household food security and incomewithout destruction of their crops by livestock. With the proposed market linkages approach for garden produce, the beneficiaries from wetland gardens will get sustainable income and this becomes the incentive for wetland conservation.The major markets for the garden produce include Servcor Catering Company at Unki Platinum Mine and Todal. Local boarding schools like Tongogara High School and Hanke Mission are some of the targeted institutional markets that Shurugwi Partners has linked most of garden farmers with. Local market from other villagers is also targeted as it is highly demanding. The construction of water harvesting weirs will be carried out to put in place water reservoirs to reduce continued interference with the whole wetland area by people and livestock. Weirs will be established both inside the wetland areas for irrigation of vegetables and outside the wetlands for watering livestock. Introducing fish farmingwith local tilapia and catfish species in established weirs, beekeeping and fruit trees in the wetland gardens increases income and food production and promotes payment for ecosystem services.The promotion of organic farming and elimination of the use of inorganic pesticides through the introduction of integrated pest management (IPM) in wetland gardens will promote a healthy agro ecosystem and improves wetland biodiversity.

1.2. Organizational Background and Capacity to implement the Project
Shurugwi Partners is a community based organization (CBO) founded in 2008 by community members who are concerned by the rapid deterioration of rural livelihoods, public health and physical environment in Shurugwi District. Some of the organization?s core activities include:
-Climate change & environmental projects
-Poverty alleviation & Income Generating Activities (IGA)
-Smallholder agricultural support and market linkages
-Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
-Orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC) care and support
-HIV/AIDS & gender support programmes
-Social safety nets programmes and
-Internal Savings and Lending (ISAL)

In implementing this community project, Shurugwi Partners will be guided by its five community development guiding principles, which are beneficiaries / community driven, stakeholders supported, policy anchored, local context and project sustainability. The active participation of beneficiaries and meaningful community contribution is a major issue that we value for sustainability and community ownership of the projects. Shurugwi Partners will ensure that the proposed project achieves the Millennium Development Goal that include
-Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger (MDG 1)
-Promote gender equality and women empowerment (MDG 3)
-Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases (MDG 6)
-Ensure environmental sustainability (MDG 7)

Founded in 2008, Shurugwi Partners started implementing its first project in 2011 when it secured funding from the Netherlands Embassy. The organization has exceeded its donor?s expectations in project management, financial accountability, reporting and producing resounding impacts in all the projects implemented (see Netherlands Embassy Ambassador?s reference letter on last page of organizational profile). Through its Community and Public Private Partnership (CP3) approach, the organization has partnered with local mines and the donors in various community projects.

Withdiversified experience in climate change mitigation projects, food security, water projects, income generating projects and training activities among others, the organization has experienced staff in project management. Having partnered with Leeds University on climate change research sponsored by CDKN, the organization co - authored a research article submitted to the Regional Environmental Change. Shurugwi Partners has adequate expertise in project management, monitoring, evaluation, learning and documentation necessary for biodiversity conservation projects implementation. With vast experience in environmental conservation, market linkages for smallholder farmers as well as climate compatible development projects, relevant and up to date techniques will be employed in this project implementation.

The organization is a member of the Agricultural Coordination Working group and the WASH cluster in Shurugwi District. It is also an active member of the Environmental Committee under Tongogara RDDC(reference letter attached) and the member of the Kubatana NGOs network. As a CBO, the organization is guided by its MOU with Tongogara RDC, Social Services department and the local governance structures of the district. Shurugwi Partners was permitted to mobilize fund and address community projects whilst pursuing its submitted final corrected application for Private Voluntary Organization status registration certificate.

Depending on the projects, Shurugwi Partners mainly targets projects that promote the empowerment of women and children from smallholder farming households. Men are also considered in women and children?s projects since they also play a complementary role for such projects? success. In 2011 - 2012 financial year, the organization implemented the Chikato Orphans and Women?s Economic and Social Safety projectsthat empowered marginalized women and orphaned children with access to clean water, food from community gardens, income from markets and productive household assets. Training activities on soil and water conservation, integrated pest management, climate change mitigation and organic farming enabled the community to realize lots of benefits and positive impacts from this natural resource based livelihoods project. The Pro - Women Income Project implemented in the 2012 - 2013 financial year enabled communities in drought prone areas to construct water harvesting weirs in order to harness enough water during the wet season for irrigation and watering livestock purposes. This increased their food security and income from vegetable sales, thus climate proofing rural livelihoods and helping smallholders meet the MDGs at local level.

Table 1: Different Organizations that Shurugwi Partners works with and their roles
Name of Organization Contribution Role in this project and Capacity of the Groups
In cash In kind
Netherlands EmbassyUS$62, 500 Technical assistance Networking and information sharing
Tongogara Rural District Councilechnical assistance Technical assistance and coordination
Social Services Department Technical assistance Technical assistance and coordination
Servcor Catering Company - Unki Technical assistance, produce market Market information, linkages and sales for generating income
Boarding Schools Technical assistance, produce market Market information, linkages and sales
University of Leeds Technical assistance, Documentation Networking and information sharing
District Administrator Technical assistanceTechnical assistance and coordination
ACWG (Agritex, EMA, Christian Care, Forestry, LPD, Veterinary) Technical assistance, Facilitate Training Technical assistance and coordination
Networking and information sharing
Kubatana NGO network Information dissemination Networking, information sharing and dissemination
Local Community / BeneficiariesUS$1,850 Skills, labour, local resourcesProvide indigenous knowledge, skills, local resources and labour
Local communities / beneficiaries? expertise, experience and contribution to this project is highly valuable. Their skills, labour, local knowledge and resources will enable effective project implementation& sustainability.

Shurugwi Partners is a well constituted organization with currently 2 paid staff members, the Programmes Manager and Finance Manager. The Director works on voluntary basis together with the Executive Committee. Monitoring and Evaluation, Field Officers, Finance Officer and Secretary postsare vacant and filled according to project funding availability. Figure 1shows a complete organizationalgovernance and administrative framework.

1.3.Project Objectives and Expected Results
Problem Statement / Challenge the project intends to address
Wetlands in the Chitora community are being utilized without proper conservation strategies being employed by community members leading to their depletion and degradation. Some of the wetlands have dried up as a result of uncoordinated land use practices because the communities lack resources, environmental education and awareness. The need to conserve the few wetlands left in this area requires resources to complement individuals? efforts of wetlands protection through brushwood fencing. Promoting coordinated wetlands conservation practices, monitoring and establishing demonstration plots using appropriate fencing materials will save the few wetlands in the district from depletion.Climate change induced droughts, seasonal shifts of rainfall pattern and erratic rains being experienced in the area has resulted in a heavy dependence on wetland and sometimes sparks conflicts on their utilization leading to ?tragedy of the commons? situation.Rural livelihoods are on the declining trend with the associated wetland depletion. Most of the livelihoods opportunities offered by wetland to rural communities including fishing, fruits and food crop production have significantly declined with the decline in wetlands coverage areas and numbers. With both flora and fauna species on the verge of extinction as evidenced by declining numbers and species of amphibians, fish, insects, trees, birds, small mammals and grasses that were dominant in the area, there is urgent need for wetland biodiversity conservation. The wetland sizes has significantly reduced and areas that used to hold water throughout the year dried up and the few left only hold water for temporal period of time. Due to pressure on wetland water resources from both people and livestock that trample the unprotected area, water availability is a major challenge during dry season.

Overall project Goal / Primary Objective
To conserve biodiversity through sustainable community based wetlands protection in drought prone areas for livelihood improvement.

Specific Objectives
a)To raise community awareness on conserving biodiversity throughwetland protection, environmental education and community based training activities targeting smallholder farmers.
b)To establish three wetlands conservation demonstration plots in Faquar, Mushandirapamwe and Chitora villages, assisting at least 61 rural households within the first twelve months of project implementation.
c)To ensure sustainable land use practices in wetlands gardens through organic farming and integrated pest management within the first six months of the project.
d)To increase community resilience to livelihoods shocks through fish, honey, fruits and vegetables production for food security and household income by the end of 24 months of project implementation.
e)To protect biodiversity species that include water plants, grasses species, amphibians, bird species, fish species, small mammals and trees species that were on the verge of extinction in the wetland.

Rationale / Justification of the Project
The proposed project is an important intervention for raising community awareness for sustainable wetland conservation through environmental education, awareness raising and training activities. The communities become knowledgeable on the importance and best practices in wetlands conservation..Construction of wetlands demonstration plots through fencing and weirs provides a lasting and sustainable wetland management practice where land use planning provides the basis for sustainable wetland utilization. Fencing off the wetlands with appropriate diamond mesh wire has a greater impact on forestry conservation as well as reducing interference of wetlands recharge sponge areas by livestock and other human activities. This also reduces water scarcity during the drought season. The promotion of sustainable organic agriculture with integrated pest management and water resource management practices in wetland areas helps local communities to meet their food security and income generation for improved livelihoods. Introducing fish farming, beekeeping and fruits orchards in the wetlands gardens providessocial safety nets and an alternative source of other nutritious foods and income to this rural community, reducing food security shocks induced by climate change.

Activities for Objective 1
1.1 Environmental education campaign workshops and wetlands conservation training.
1.2 Project management and gender mainstreaming workshop
Acivities for Objective 2
2.1 Fencing of three wetland areas
2.2 Community gardening plots pegging
2.3 Construction of masonry water harvesting weirs
Activities relating to objective 3
3.1 Participatory land use management training for community members.
3.2 Training farmers on organic farming.
3.3 Smallholders training on integrated pest management
Activities relating to objective 4
4.1 Vegetables production
4.2 Fish farming training
4.3 Beekeeping / Apiculture training
4.4 Fruit orchard development
4.5 Produce Market linkages training workshop
5.1Biodiversity conservation scouts training
5.2 Wetland conservation monitoring

Outputs (0-6months of completed activity)
1.1 Community men, women and children gained knowledge on conservation of wetland biodiversity.
Indicator: 30 men, 51 women and 30 children reached by campaign workshops.
1.2 Comunity members apply project management and gender mainstreaming techniques in the project
Indicator: 30 men and 51 women trained during the workshop
2.1 Three wetlands are protected by community members
Indicator: 15hectares of wetlands protected, rehabilitated and restored.
Indicator: 81 community members (30 men and 51 females) participating.
2.2 Community members allocated and prepared individual household plots for gardening
Indicator: 10hectares of land under improved land use
Indicator: 81community members (30 men and 51 women) participating in gardening
2.3 Water harvesting weirs constructed at different sites by community members and captures water for use.
Indicator: 10 hectares of land applying sustainable water management practices.
Indicator: 81 participating community members (30 men and 51 females)
Indicator: 7 weirs established with a minimum capacity of 12 cubic meters each
3.1Community members apply gained land use management skills on allocated plots.
Indicator: 81 community members (30 men and 51 women) trained and apply proper land use management.
3.2 Garden beneficiaries gain and apply organic farming techniques.
Indicators: 105 community members (35 men & 70 women) trained
3.3 Wetland garden beneficiaries apply gained integrated pest management knowledge in their allocated plots.
Indicator: 105community members (35 men and 70 women) trained.
4.1 Volumes of fresh organic vegetable production increase from wetland garden plots from less than150 kilograms to at least 950 kilograms per week.
Indicator:number of days of food shortages reduced from 3 per week during dry season to zeroper week for participating households
Indicator: 81 participating community members (30 men and 51 women) benefit from the garden
4.2Farmers start breeding fish for sale and household consumption.
Indicator: 81 community members(30 men and 51 women) in wetland conservation project participating
Indicator: 81 households increase purchasing power by reduced spending and increased income.
Indicator: 3 fish ponds established of at least 100 square meters each established
4.3Smallholder farmers initiate beekeeping activities
Indicator: 30 bee hives set up for beekeeping.
4.4Smallholder farmers planted 300 fruit trees (60 mangoes, 60 banana, 60 natjees, 60 orange and 60 water berriesin their plots.
Indicator:10hectares of land under improved land use and climate proofing practices.
Indicator: 81 (30 men and 51 women) community members participating.
4.5 Farmers gain skills for using market information, negotiating prices with buyers and producing demanded vegetable. Produce will be delivered to Servcor catering at Unki mine, Hanke Mission, Tongogara High School and local villages.
Indicator:81(30 men and 51 females) participating community members
Indicator: A total income of US$8,000 worth of ecosystem services produced per year.
5.1Both men and women scouts are selected and trained
Indicator: 9 scouts (3 men and 6 women) are trained for wetland biodiversity protection
5.2 Periodic monitoring of wetland biodiversity and recording of species are conducted.
Indicators: 8 quarterly wetland biodiversity conservation monitoring led by trained scouts are conducted and 8 reports produced.

Outcome (1 year after completed activity)
Community members applying wetlands conservation practices and improved wetlands conservation.
Members have a gender sensitive approach in project implementation
Improved wetland ecosystem without major interferences by livestock and people.
Community members producing food crops from their allocated plots resulting in improved livelihoods.
Improved water supply for livelihood projects
Improved and coordinated land use in the wetlands areas.
Production of health foods and maintenance of a healthy agro ecosystem achieved.
Wetlands maintain a healthy and balanced ecosystem without inorganic pollutants.
Improved livelihoods from vegetable production.
Increased income and food from fish farming.
Improved wetlands conservation and income from beekeeping
Improved food security
Improved households? income fromexploring new markets for their produce.
Prevention of wetland biodiversity mismanagement
An update of the wetland ecosystem is maintained
Prevention of wetland biodiversity mismanagement
An update of the wetland ecosystem is maintained

1.4.Description of Project Activities
a) Biodiversity species inventory for wetlands will be conducted with assistance of the biodiversity specialist during initial baseline assessment. Shurugwi Partners will gain capacity for future inventory.
b) Environmental education campaign workshops ? Environmental education messages will be disseminated to local communities through drama, poetry, exhibition of best practices, posters and presentations by key stakeholders and the community. The community will apply gained knowledge in their day to day use of natural resources in a way that helps to protect their natural resources and contribute towards protection of their biodiversity.

c) Wetlands conservation training? The training activity will target wetland users from mainly the three sites identified. Extension workers will be targeted in the training so that they can help to upscale the training in other projects outside the targeted site and achieve sustainability and knowledge sharing at a wider scale. Community members will merge the training delivered with their rich indigenous knowledge system for sustainable wetlands conservation.

d) Fencing off three wetlands areas?reduces interference and ensures coordinated conservation efforts of demonstration sites constructed. This also reduced the degradation of wetlands? catchment areas. A total of 15 hectares of wetlands will be fencedand reclaimed to ensure conservation of biological diversity they are climate proofed.

e) Community gardens plots pegging?provides individual households sites for community gardening. This helps the project to introduce coordinated wetland conservation system by users.

f) Construction of masonry water harvesting weirs ? helps wetland users reduce interference with wetlands recharge sponge areas and maintain its natural state, whilst harvesting enough water for use during dry seasons. This also provides breeding areas for fish farming activities.

g) Participatory land use management training for community members ? community members will appreciate different land use management plans required for sustaining wetlands conservation
h) Training farmers on organic farming ? will be conducted to maintain a health agro ecosystem that produces healthy food for reducing food insecurity induced by recurrent droughts.

i) Smallholders training on integrated pest management?reduce the loads of organic pollutants in wetlands and maintain healthy ecosystems and non toxic water resources which every human being and animal will depend on during drought seasons.

j) Vegetable production?good agronomic practices and selection of best vegetable seeds that are not genetically modified will be complemented with production trainings. Partnership with AGRITEX department will compliment the coordination of efforts to help wetlands demonstration plots farmers produce sustainable volumes of vegetables for their consumption and marketing for income. Achieving high production levels will reduce the impacts of climate change on rural livelihoods since there will be enough food and income to reduce the impacts of droughts on household food supply, utilization and availability.

k) Fish farming training ? the strategy helps farmers reduce interference with water resources which forms the important source of income and nutrition from fish breeding. The communities will attach more value to their wetlands through sustainable water resources management. Wetlands farmers will be trained on fish farming and the constricted weirs / reservoirs will be used and maintained as natural fish ponds in the wetlands. This also provides a win-win situation for wetlands conservation efforts and gardening activities that mitigate climate change impacts on rural livelihoods.

l) Beekeeping and apiculture training ?is a strategy for both balancing a wetland agro ecosystem ith food production. Introducing beekeeping will be facilitated by Livestock Production Department (LPD) in order to ensure that wetlands are well vegetated. Harvesting honey will play an important role in providing enough income and nutrition to households, especially in winter when crop growth is subdued by low temperatures. .

m) Fruit orchard development?the introduction of grafted and budded exotic and indigenous fruit trees that include mangoes, oranges, natjees and bananas in wetlands demonstration plots will ensure wetlands maintain adequate vegetation whilst providing food and income from fruits produced. .

n) Produce market linkages training workshop?income from markets provides one of the major incentives in payments for ecosystems services. Training wetland demonstration farmers on market linkages techniques including market surveys, market information gathering, negotiating skills and simple produce value addition will turn wetlands conservation efforts into disposable income for household use. This encouragesfurther wetlands conservation efforts by rural communities.