Conservation Investment Plan (CIP) for Mara Wetlands

CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS i JUMUIYA YA AFRIKA MASHARIKI DISCLAIMER CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDSii The report was prepared by Tetra Tech through USAID Kenya and East Africa Tetra Tech CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS iii This publication has been produced by Tetra Tech ARD and Land Trees and Sustainability (LTS) Africa, and was made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Kenya and East Africa’s Planning for Resilience in East Africa through Policy, Adaptation, Re search, and Economic Development (PREPARED) Project. Lucy Emerton and Michael Gachanja facilitated the development and documentation of the Conservation Investment Plan (CIP). The CIP is the outcome of a consultative process that involved multiple individuals and institutions, and served to bring together their stated priorities, strategies, policies, and plans. The authors are particularly grateful to participants of the CIP planning and validation workshops held in September and November 2017: Fred Mhina of Lake Victoria Basin Commission Secretariat; Mwita Mataro, John Ngawambala, and Ogoma Mangasa of Lake Victoria the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism; Heriberth Joseph Haulle from the Tanzania Forest Services Agency; Florida Magori, Nawabu Stanley, Henry Kembo, Raphael Nyanda, Dennis Nyakisinda, and Robert Mgombela of the Rorya District Council; Dotto Mungo and Martha Mahule of Tarime District Council; Cornel Missana of the Musoma Water Quality Laboratory; Siproza Charles of North Mara Water Users Association (Rorya); Mairi Magabe of South Mara Water Users Association (Butiama); Cornel Missana of Musoma Water Quality Laboratory; Majura Maingu of Victoria Farming and Fishing Organisation (VIFAFIO); Chris Magero and Emmanuel Mgimwa of BirdLife International; Kanuni Kanuni of World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The authors are also grateful for the technical, organizational, and logistical support from Brenda Bergman, Anne Malawa, Joel Gakuo, and Praxides Nekesa of PREPARED project. CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDSiv PREFACE Located at the mouth of the Mara River in Tanzania in the districts of Butiama, Rorya, and Tarime, as well as Musoma Municipality, Mara Wetlands provides ecosystem services valued at USD 5 million a year. The investments proposed in the present Conservation Investment Plan (CIP) would help to ensure that Mara Wetlands ecosystem services continue to support livelihoods and economic opportunity into the future. It is with great pressure that the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania presents the Mara Wetlands CIP, which is aimed at improving conservation and sustainable management of the Mara Wetland ecosystem for improved community livelihood and resilience to climate change. The Mara Wetlands CIP was prepared with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the “Planning for Resilience in East Africa through Policy, Adaptation, Research, and Economic Development (PREPARED)” Project. PREPARED works in partnership with the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC), the East African Community, and partner states. In 2016, the LVBC Biodiversity Task Force issued a directive CIPs were developed at a regional expert meeting held in February 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya, which was attended by staff from partner government institutions in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, a representative from the LVBC, as well as PREPARED and LTS-Africa project staff and consultants. The Mara Wetlands CIP was prepared through a consultative process. Through a series of multi-stakeholder meetings on conservation activities and needs in Mara Wetlands, the views of stakeholders who manage, depend upon, and impact the Mara Wetlands and resources were gathered, prioritized, and organized. These meetings involved representatives from district councils, local communities, Tourism, Tanzania Forests Service, Serengeti National Park and representatives of water users’ association from Mara Wetland Ecosystem. The Mara Wetlands CIP was developed to support the delivery of the implementation framework laid out in the recently-completed 2017/18 - 2021/22 Mara Wetlands Integrated Management Plan. The Management Plan was developed through a consultative process involving local and national government agencies, wetland communities, non-governmental and civil society organizations, the private sector, research and academic institutions. The CIP structures the Management Plan program of work and activities into coherent, costed investment packages, for Government of the United Republic of Tanzania and government agencies who have an interest in biodiversity and ecosystem conservation in the Mara Wetlands, particularly those who seek to support the implementation of the new Management Plan. The Mara Wetlands CIP is an important document to the Government of United Republic of Tanzania. It provides families in Mara Wetlands. It will also allow us to maintain wetland functions and values; and to integrate wetland concerns into planning and decision making. The Government of United Republic of Tanzania is fully committed to the implementation of the plan. It is my expectation that potential donors, investors, and government partners will be availability. CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS v iii iv vii ix 1.1 MARA WETLANDS CONSERVATION CONTEXT ........................................................................................................................2 1.2 OPPORTUNITIES, THREATS, AND CHALLENGES ..........................................................................................................................4 1.3 THE BUSINESS CASE FOR ECOSYSTEM CONSERVATION AND WISE USE ...............................................................................4 1.4 WHAT THE CIP SEEKS TO FUND – THE MARA WETLANDS INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PLAN ............................5 1.5 HOW THE CIP IS INTENDED TO BE USED .................................................................................................................................6 1.6 HOW THE CIP WAS DEVELOPED.................................................................................................................................................6 2.1 GOALS AND INTENDED OUTCOMES ................................................................................................................ 8 2.2 GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND CROSSCUTTING THEMES ......................................................................................... 8 2.3 COORDINATION AND DELIVERY MECHANISMS ................................................................................................. 9 3.1 INVESTMENT PACKAGE 1: WETLAND WISE USE AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT ......................................13 3.2 INVESTMENT PACKAGE 2: CONSERVATION AWARENESS, CAPACITY, AND GOVERNANCE ..............................18 3.3 INVESTMENT PACKAGE 3: SUSTAINABLE AND CLIMATE-RESILIENT LOCAL LIVELIHOODS ...............................22 3.4 INVESTMENT PACKAGE 4: COMMUNITY WATER, SANITATION, AND HYGIENE ...............................................29 Table 1. Summary of Investment Package 1 (Wetland wise use and sustainable management) ..........................14 Table 2. Summary of Investment Package 2 (Conservation awareness, capacity, and governance) ...................19 Table 3. Summary of Investment Package 3 (Sustainable and climate-resilient local livelihoods) ........................23 Table 4. Summary of Investment Package 4 (Community water, sanitation, and hygiene) .....................................29 CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDSvi Figure 1. Location of Mara Wetlands in the Mara River Basin .................................................................................................2 Figure 2. Partial economic value of selected Mara Wetlands ecosystem services (US $million/year) ..................5 Figure 3. CIP goals and investment packages .................................................................................................8 Figure 4. Summary of investment packages, projects, and costs ..............................................................................................11 Figure 5. Ranking of projects according to priority ..............................................................................................12 USD 0.99 million ..............................................................................................13 million or USD 230,000 ........................................................................................................................................................... 18 billion or USD 0.79 million ..................................................................................................................................................... 22 billion or USD 4.2.46 million ................................................................................................................................................. 29 CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS vii CBO Community-Based Organization CIP Conservation Investment Plan CSA Climate-Smart Agriculture DED District Executive Director DEMC District Environmental Management Committee DESD District Environment and Sanitation Department DHO DLNRO DOA Department of Agriculture DOE Division of Environment EAC East African Community EbA Ecosystem-Based Adaptation ESRF Economic and Social Research Foundation IBA Important Bird and Biodiversity Area IP Investment package Km Kilometer LGA Local Government Authority LVBC Lake Victoria Basin Commission LVBWB Lake Victoria Basin Water Board LVESNET Lake Victoria Ecosystem Sustainability Network MAFC Ministry of Agriculture Food Security and Cooperatives ME Ministry of Energy MHCDGCE Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Children and Elderly MLF Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries MLHHSD Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Developments MNRT Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism MoF Ministry of Finance MoFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs MoIYCS Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports MoWI Ministry of Water and Irrigation NBI Nile Basin Initiative NELSAP Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Programme NEMC National Environment Management Council NGO Nongovernmental Organization Nile-Eco-VWU Nile Ecosystems Wetlands Valuation and Wise Use NLUPC National Land Use Planning Commission PO-RALG PREPARED Planning for Resilience in East Africa through Policy, Adaptation, Research and Economic Development CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDSviii RAS Regional Administrative Secretary SLM Sustainable Land Management TAREA Tanzania Renewable Energy Association TAWA Tanzania Wildlife Authority TFS Tanzania Forest Service TMA Tanzania Mineral Agency TTB Tanzania Tourism Board TZS USAID United States Agency for International Development USD VIFAFIO Victoria Farming and Fishing Organization VPO-E WUA Water Users Association WWF World Wildlife Fund CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS ix This Conservation Investment Plan (CIP) brings together needs and priorities of the various sectors, organizations, and interest groups that manage, depend on, or impact in some way the natural resources of the Mara Wetlands. It presents an integrated set of activities united under the common goal of improved conservation and sustainable management of the Mara Wetlands ecosystem for improved community livelihoods and resilience to climate change. A wide range of partners worked together to develop the CIP and will be involved in delivering it, including both central and local government agencies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and civil society, as well as local community members. This document targets potential donors and investors in wetland conservation. It has three main purposes. First, it offers a value proposition that outlines returns from investing in biodiversity and ecosystem conservation in the Mara Wetlands. Second, it outlines a strategic plan identifying and integrating the most critical conservation funding priorities. Finally, the CIP also serves as a marketing tool The CIP harmonizes and brings together the various conservation strategies and plans developed for the Mara Wetlands landscape. year Mara Wetlands Integrated Management Plan. The CIP structures the conservation priorities laid out in the management plan into coherent, consolidated, costed sets of mutually reinforcing projects. It offers four bankable years, as follows: IP#1: Wetland wise use and sustainable management. To restore, rehabilitate, and conserve wetland biodiversity IP#2: Conservation awareness, capacity, and governance. To build effective, inclusive, and sustainable systems for 230,000. IP#3: Sustainable and climate-resilient local livelihoods. To strengthen local economic prospects and reduce 960,000. IP#4: Community water, sanitation, and hygiene. To improve water quality and sustain a healthy wetland CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDSx CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS 1 PART 1: CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS2 The Mara Wetlands are located in the lower (southwest) portion of the Mara River Basin, running a length of of around 390 km2. According to the Mara Wetlands Integrated Management Plan 2017/2018-2021/2022, it spans Butiama, Rorya, Serengeti, and Tarime districts of the Mara region. Although it has no formal protected status, the Mara Wetlands has been designated as part of the worldwide network of “Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas” 500 km2. permanently inundated. It is said to be one of the largest remaining tracts of papyrus swamp in sub-Saharan Africa. Dryland areas contain a mosaic of mixed woodland and shrub land, interspersed with crops and pasture. The extent and composition of the wetland varies on a seasonal basis and over time. The inundated area expands and contracts each year in line with the two rainy seasons (September-December and March-June). Over the last 30 years, the wetland has more than doubled in size, into areas previously occupied by shrub land and grassland. Figure 1. Location of Mara Wetlands in the Mara River Basin are dominated by papyrus (Cyperus papyrus Typha domingensis and common reed (Phragmites australis A wide variety of mammals is permanently or seasonally resident, including hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii olive baboon (Papio anubis and vervet monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops A population of Nile crocodiles (Crocodilus niloticus also inhabits the swamp and rivers. Some 226 bird species have been recorded, including the endangered Grey-crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum and Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus and the vulnerable Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex Woolly necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus Martial Eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus and Papyrus yellow warbler (Calamonastides gracilirostris (Clarias sp. African lung (Protopterus sp. and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis nilotica CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS 3 processing nitrogen and phosphorus loads from surrounding (and upstream) settlements and farms. Woodlands, grasslands, and swamp vegetation also contribute importantly to carbon sequestration and storage. Although as yet undeveloped, the wetland landscape hosts a small amount of tourism, mainly linked to birdwatching, wildlife viewing, and local cultural experiences. The Mara Wetlands Integrated Management Plan lists 20 villages that surround the Mara Wetlands; and most people also depend heavily on wetland products for their economic survival and well-being. Woodlands, wild foods, and raw materials for making crafts. These goods and services are particularly important, given the high parts of the wetland provide fertile soils for crop farming and livestock pasture. Although the wetlands have no formal protection status, their use and management is regulated under law, and is guided by the National Sustainable Wetlands Management Strategy under the National Wildlife Policy of 2007. A wide variety of government line agencies have mandates that touch on sustainable wetland management, working at the local level under the Mara Regional Administrative Secretariat; and Butiama, Rorya, Serengeti, and Tarime districts’ Victoria Basin Water Board (LVBWB); Tanzania Forest Service (TFS); Tanzania Wildlife Authority (TAWA); the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT); the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives (MAFC); Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries (MLF); Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Children and Elderly (MHCDGCE); Ministry of Water and Irrigation (MoWI); Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Developments (MLHHSD); and the National Environment Management Council (NEMC). In addition, a broad array of nongovernmental organizations (NGO), civil society, and community-based and private sector stakeholders collaborate in wetland conservation. A number of efforts to promote transboundary, integrated river basin management in the Mara Basin have occurred, mainly under the auspices of Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) and East African Community (EAC) and associated regional and national bodies. The Mara River Transboundary Water Users Forum was convened in 2008 by LVBC and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as a platform for dialogue and collaboration, according to an agreed constitution and work plan. Both a Water Allocation Plan (2013) and Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (2016-2026) have been developed under the coordination of LVBC and EAC. The Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Programme (NELSAP) of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) published a Mara River Basin Investment Strategy in 2008 to promote environmentally sustainable, socioeconomic development and address critical water resources issues and challenges. In addition to and in combination with the activities coordinated by national governments, EAC, and LVBC, a variety of internationally funded projects, programs, and organizations have worked on biodiversity and natural resource conservation in the Mara Basin over recent years. While their focus has usually been on upper and middle reaches of the basin (particularly the Mau catchment forests in Kenya and the transboundary Mara-Serengeti conservation landscape), some have included activities in and around the Mara Wetlands. For example, the Nile Ecosystems Wetlands Valuation and Wise Use (Nile-Eco-VWU) research project, funded by the CGIAR Water, Land, and Ecosystems Programme, includes the Mara Wetlands as one of its pilot sites. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Transboundary Water for Biodiversity and Human Health in the Mara River Basin was implemented between 2005 and 2012, and included support for water supply and sanitation activities in Serengeti District (through CARE Tanzania). USAID is also funding the Policy Adaptation, Research, and Economic Development (PREPARED) project, implemented in partnership with LVBC and EAC. This includes support for development of the Integrated CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS4 Management Plan for the Mara Wetlands, facilitated by Birdlife International. Birdlife International is also undertaking activities in Mara Bay and Masirori Swamp under the Sustainable Use of Critical Wetlands in Lake Victoria Basin project funded by the MacArthur Foundation. WWF Tanzania, too, has implemented a series of projects in the Mara River Basin over the last two decades that have included the wetlands area, including work to support water resources user associations and developments of a Mara River Basin Biodiversity Action Plan and Environmental Flows Plan (approved by the Lake Victoria Basin Council of Ministers in 2009). Despite their ecological, biological, and socioeconomic importance, the Mara Wetlands have come under increasing pressure and are starting to show signs of stress. In particular, the escalating resource demands of a rapidly growing human population have led to overexploitation of forest and wetland products such as fuelwood, timber, construction is more than 100 km2 of the wetlands under crops, an area expanding rapidly every year. Overgrazing impacts grasslands, as well as uncontrolled burning to create better pasture. pollution loads reaching the lower basin. Meanwhile, water extraction for irrigation, energy, industrial, and domestic new dams (mainly for irrigation and hydropower) are planned in the middle and upper reaches of the Mara River, and an inter-basin transfer scheme has been proposed between the Amala River and the South Ewaso Ngiro in Kenya. Climate change, too, poses a major challenge and threat to the Mara Wetlands. Weather patterns are likely to become more unpredictable, and changes are expected in the timing of rainy and dry seasons. Moreover, rainfall sedimentation processes. Both natural and human systems are already under stress, and lack resilience to cope with these effects. The broad array of government, community, civil society, and private sector stakeholders that use, depend on, and manage the land and resources of the Mara Wetlands constitute a powerful positive force for conservation. Many are working to promote sustainable ecosystem management. Recognizing that the underlying threats or root causes of and potential solutions to ecosystem degradation are largely socioeconomic, these efforts have an associated concern with establishing conditions whereby wetland users and managers are both empowered and encouraged to conserve natural resources in the course of their economic activities. These stakeholders and their activities offer great potential and opportunities. The recently developed Integrated Management Plan brings together the most urgent conservation and sustainable development needs and priorities into a single document. As explained below, the design of the CIP is to support and strengthen implementation of the management plan. Consultations during development of the management plan indicated strong political will and momentum at central and local government levels, which will also strengthen implementation of the CIP. The wild species and natural habitats of the Mara Wetlands contribute substantially to local, national, and even global economies. They provide sources of subsistence and income critical to local livelihoods. A recent study found that wetland products are worth an average of USD 525 a year for adjacent households (equivalent to around a third of household income). In addition, wetlands, grasslands, woodlands, and other natural habitats provide important services that protect and safeguard human settlements and production processes in Butiama, Rorya, Serengeti, and Tarime districts; other parts of the Mara region; and beyond. Just one of these services, carbon storage and sequestration has a value of around USD 840,000 a year or more than USD 2,150 per km2 of wetland area. CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS 5 In total, the economic value of goods and services associated with the natural ecosystems of the Mara Wetlands has been calculated at approximately USD 5 million a year. Figure 2. Partial economic value of selected Mara Wetlands ecosystem services (US $million/year) These enormous economic values cannot (and should not) be ignored. They underline the fact that biodiversity and ecosystems in the Mara Wetlands are far more than a static repository of biological and ecological artefacts. Rather, they offer a productive and lucrative source of natural capital and development infrastructure, which, if used wisely development returns spread across many different sectors and stakeholder groups are to be gained from investing in the biodiversity and ecosystems of the Mara Wetlands. Conversely, a failure to invest adequately in wetland conservation and wise use runs the risk not just of undermining local livelihoods and development processes, but also of incurring considerable economic costs and losses across and beyond Tanzania, including transboundary effects It is important to emphasize that the CIP is designed to harmonize, integrate, and enhance implementation of existing conservation and development strategies and plans already developed in Butiama, Rorya, Serengeti, and Tarime Districts, and at national and regional levels. As stated above, numerous government, community, civil society, and private sector stakeholders are working to strengthen wetlands wise use and sustainable management within the Mara Wetlands landscape. Despite such good efforts, most agencies and organizations working in the Mara Wetlands face a critical shortage of funding. As a result, urgent conservation and development actions remain unfunded. The projects in the CIP target programs, strategies, and plans. In particular, the CIP has been designed to support delivery of the implementation framework laid out in the recently completed Mara Wetlands Integrated Management Plan for 2017/18 to 2021/22. This was developed through a multi-stakeholder consultative process that brought together local and national government agencies, wetland communities, NGOs and civil society organizations (CSOs), the private sector, and research and academic institutions. The management plan is based on a vision of “a well conserved Mara River Wetland, managed sustainably for sustainable management; increase resilience to climate change; enhance application of “wise use” concepts; strengthen governance; build conservation awareness and capacity; encourage sustainable alternative livelihoods; and support community-based water, sanitation, and hygiene management. The CIP structures management plan activities into coherent, costed investment packages (IPs) for which it seeks to attract new investors and to mobilize additional CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS6 The focus of the CIP is on operational costs of carrying out essential biodiversity and ecosystem conservation and associated sustainable development activities. It does not seek to raise funds to cover core costs of maintaining institutions mandated to coordinate and deliver conservation and sustainable development in the Mara Region or in Butiama, Rorya, Serengeti, and Tarime districts. These budgets are already in place, and along with the programs underway, provide counterpart contributions to the projects laid out in the IPs. Financing needs outlined in the CIP are intended to supplement, not to replace or subsidize, existing institutional, program, and project funding. Importantly, the CIP is also consistent with and directly supports Tanzania’s key global commitments regarding conservation and development. It has been designed for consistency with the ecosystem approach and the three Convention on Wetlands of International Importance. In addition, CIP activities are of immediate relevance to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Kyoto Protocol, in that these serve to strengthen both human and natural resilience and adaptive capacity, as well as to mitigate effects of global climate change. Along with emphases on biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, sustainable development, and green growth, CIP projects include provisions to reduce poverty, achieve gender equity, and empower the most vulnerable and marginal groups. The CIP is therefore a key instrument to help meet the agenda of Sustainable Development Goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. The CIP is targeted at donors and investors interested in biodiversity and ecosystem conservation in the Mara Wetlands and Butiama, Rorya, Serengeti, and Tarime districts—particularly those seeking to support implementation of the Integrated Management Plan. It presents four bankable IPs, each of which consists of three to six projects. A one-page summary of each project describes the need for action, outlines its scope and content, lists indicative in delivering it. facilitate translation of broad concepts conveyed in the CIP into more detailed proposals, according to the focus and format required by the funder. The CIP was developed with the active participation of stakeholders who manage, depend on, and impact Mara Wetlands land and resources (and would lead implementation of the projects). This involved a series of multi stakeholder meetings to discuss conservation activities, identify and prioritize unmet funding needs, and validate the Mara and Kagera Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS), as well as Butiama, Rorya, Serengeti, and Tarime district councils, which participated as key stakeholders. The meetings were also attended by staff from other government line agencies and local authorities, regional bodies, representatives from NGOs and CSOs, and wetland-adjacent communities. The CIP proposes an approximate budget. Each project was costed based on levels of input and expenditures required for similar projects under implementation in Butiama, Rorya, Serengeti, and Tarime districts. Participants in the planning workshop (i.e., government agencies and NGOs involved in conservation and development activities in and around the Mara Wetlands) calculated these budget estimates based on their own experiences of project implementation and local prices. Most activities included in the CIP are based on recent-costed work plans and proposals (for example, those laid out in the management plan), or seek to scale up existing pilot activities. Notably, project, IP, and the CIP overall. Detailed budgets will be prepared as complete proposals of projects are developed. CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS 7 PART 2: CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS8 Activities described in the CIP contribute toward a common goal of improved conservation and sustainable management of the Mara Wetlands ecosystem for improved community livelihoods and resilience to climate change. These are founded on the premise that the living environment should be treated as a valuable source of “natural capital” that drives development in Butiama, Rorya, Serengeti, and Tarime districts; Mara region; Tanzania; and beyond. However, to realize this aim, biodiversity and ecosystems must be managed sustainably and used wisely. This requires target the most pressing conservation needs within the Mara Wetlands landscape and the most urgent engage and empower local actors to work together sustainable management. It will work to restore, rehabilitate and conserve wetland biodiversity and ecosystem services through partnerships with the local community. The second IP is directed at strengthening conservation awareness, capacity, and governance to build effective, inclusive, and sustainable systems for wetland management and use. Achievement of this is anticipated by building strong platforms for planning and action that foster cooperation among the different sectors, agencies, and stakeholder groups that manage, depend on, and impact the wetland ecosystem. The third IP focuses on sustainable and climate-resilient local livelihoods to strengthen local economic prospects and consumption, and (2) adding value to conservation-based markets and business opportunities. The fourth IP deals with community water, sanitation and hygiene, seeking to improve water quality and sustain a healthy wetland-adjacent population. It combines provision of more accessible, effective facilities for waste management, water supply, and sanitation with induced awareness, capacity building, and community mobilization. A number of guiding principles and crosscutting themes run throughout the CIP. These embody the values of conservation. nature (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005). They range from raw materials and physical products used as ecosystem services underpin human economic activity. Figure 3. CIP goals and investment packages CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS 9 Ecosystem services also ensure resilience in the face of stress and change, and safeguard prospects for future growth. Actions to address climate change are a particularly integral part of the CIP, mainstreamed within all its IPs. These include decreasing vulnerability of natural and human systems to climate change and disaster risk, enhancing mitigation, and promoting ecosystem-based adaptation measures that will strengthen local livelihoods, sustain key services, and protect settlements and production within the Mara Wetlands landscape. The CIP is based on the recognition that human well-being and economic activities both depend on and impact ecosystem services. The CIP seeks to manage these dependencies and impacts by applying wise use1 principles within the ecosystem approach.2 Unlike traditional approaches to ecosystem management (based largely on protecting the environment by excluding human uses and users), these conservation approaches (1) necessitate understanding that people are an integral part of the natural environment, and (2) are to be implemented within the context of equitable and sustainable development. In the same vein, wise use focuses on conservation and sustainable use of wetlands and Following from this is recognition that people will be economically willing and able to conserve wetlands, and will be able to capture considerable economic gains and business opportunities in doing so, only by establishing conditions under which biodiversity and ecosystems are perceived to be worth more if maintained than if degraded, depleted, or converted. To these ends, most CIP projects include activities designed to create adequate, appropriate, and Having been developed in an integrated and participatory manner, the CIP aims to foster integration and cooperation among different stakeholder groups—with particular emphasis on ensuring engagement of (and fair and and development processes. The CIP also acknowledges that achieving conservation, wise use, and sustainable development will occur only by working across interest groups, sectors, and levels of scale. Community participation, private sector involvement, cross-sectoral coordination, gender equity, and social inclusion are recurrent themes, and are incorporated into the design and delivery of project activities. In line with the principles of coordination and inclusion outlined above, the CIP was developed with the active participation of governmental, nongovernmental, civil society, and community stakeholders at local, national, and regional levels. Each project outlined in the CIP integrates priorities of several agencies, organizations, and stakeholder groups into consolidated bundles of activities designed for collaborative implementation. that set of activities and the initial contact point for follow up, but will not necessarily be the agency assuming the principal role in project development and implementation. A wide variety of other partners are listed, one or more of CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS10 PART 3: CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS 11 10.44 billion or USD 4.64 million. Figure 4. Summary of investment packages, projects, and costs CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS12 The projects were prioritized by stakeholders according to perceived level of importance. A consolidated score was Figure 5. Ranking of projects according to priority CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS 13 3.1 INVESTMENT PACKAGE 1: The biodiversity and ecosystem services of ecosystem services of forests, wetlands, and grasslands help maintain clean air and water, and minimize risk and populations increase, land and resource demands intensify, and climate change places additional stresses on natural and human systems. conversion to crop farming and other land uses, and high and often unsustainable levels of resource utilization are depleting them. The Mara Wetlands are also affected by changes in upstream hydrology and land use, including unregulated water abstraction, dam construction, deforestation, and catchment degradation from overgrazing and unsustainable crop farming, as well as soil and water pollution from mining, agriculture, and industry. IP 1 seeks to restore, rehabilitate, and conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Mara Wetlands. It adopts a bottom-up approach to integrated land use planning that involves partnerships among government conservation operationalize wise use and sustainable management concepts, aiming to balance local development and conservation ecosystem conservation, addressing critical shortfalls in funding integrated land use planning, landscape restoration and rehabilitation, species and habitat conservation, ecosystem-based adaptation, and sustainable livestock production. CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS14 Table 1. Summary of Investment Package 1 (Wetland wise use and sustainable management) Priority Very important action Many different stakeholders—both public and private—own and use the habitats and resources of the Mara Wetlands in pursuit of various goals and interests. These arrangements are not always consistent or coordinated with each other, nor necessarily act in support of conservation and wise use. The Government of Tanzania, through the National Land Use Planning Commission, set out guidelines for village land use planning, based on the Village Land Act and Land Use Planning Act, which strongly emphasizes participatory approaches. They provide the basis for harmonized, effective planning and management of the Mara Wetlands and their resources, and offer a mechanism for balancing needs and interests of different groups. The project will support development and initial establishment of land use plans in pilot villages within the Mara Wetlands landscape. This will involve technical support to land use assessment, zoning and mapping, facilitation of appropriate institutional and legal arrangements at the village level, and strengthening of local awareness and capacity in sustainable wetland management. activities Identify, assess, and map existing land and resource ownership, use, and management categories. Use consultation and multi-stakeholder dialogue on management and zoning needs and priorities. Establish village land use committees. Develop land use management plans, village by-laws, and associated public consultation, comment, and communication processes. Develop awareness, capacity, and empowerment of environmental rights, responsibilities, and skills among community members and committees. Support implementation and enforcement of management plans and associated regulations. Monitor implementation of land management plans. Land use plans will be developed with active participation of community members, local authorities, other line agencies, and organizations. These are expected to provide a tool for negotiating and operationalizing wise use and sustainable management arrangements, addressing unsustainable land and resource uses, and curbing wetland encroachment. Support will be provided to village-level institutional development, awareness, capacity building, and dialogue to use committees, local residents, and businesses, especially those that depend directly on wetland biodiversity and ecosystem services. Ministry of Land, Housing, and Human Settlements Developments (MLHHSD)/ National Land Use Planning Commission (NLUPC) Mara Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS); District Executive Directors (DED); Lake Victoria Basin Water Board (LVBWB); ward & village governments; north & south Mara water user associations (WUA); community-based organizations (CBOs); nongovernmental organizations and Local Government (PO-RALG) CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS 15 Priority Essential Many parts of the Mara Wetlands are heavily degraded, undermining provision of important ecosystem services. Biodiversity and wildlife habitat have been affected, impacting threatened degraded landscapes to reestablish key habitats, species, and ecosystem services. content This project will restore and rehabilitate degraded ecosystems within the Mara Wetlands landscape, including swamps, grasslands, woodlands, and shrub lands. The project will also develop long-term plans for sustainable management of these renovated areas, in partnership with adjacent communities. The primary focus is on land under public ownership and management and/or subject to communal use, supplementing on-farm agroforestry activities occurring on private lands (see Project 3a). activities Identify critically degraded areas and hotspots. Formulate landscape and site-level plans for restoration, rehabilitation, and sustainable management. Source, plant, and tend appropriate species for revegetation. Develop long-term agreements for landscape management. Monitor impacts on species, habitats, and restoration of key ecosystem services. Degraded natural landscapes will be restored and rehabilitated with the active involvement of and users, local settlements, and the tourism industry. ies (DLNRO); District Environment and Sanitation Department (DESD) Mara RAS; PO-RALG; LVBWB; Tanzania Forest Service (TFS); Victoria Fishing and Farming Organization (VIFAFIO); Worldwide Wildlife Fund (WWF); Birdlife International Priority Very important action which are threatened or locally endangered. Key pressures include land conversion and resource overharvesting, as well as unsustainable land and resource management practices such as threat. Some of these introduced species are invasive, taking over local species and habitats (i.e., water hyacinth [Eichhornia crassipes]). Invasive species have affect both the biodiversity and socio-economy of the surrounding area. Information remains patchy, and gaps in knowledge accurate and up-to-date data on key species and habitats—locations, statuses, and threats—to formulate a plan for their conservation. CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS16 This project will identify, assess, and record key habitats, species, and conservation “hotspots.” It will support formulation of strategies to address environmental threats, focusing on invasive species and development of locally managed conservation areas (e.g., “no take” zones, protected species or closed sites). These activities will be integrated with village land use plans under development via Project 1a, and with the integrated wetland management strategy of Project 2a. activities Iden Assess environmental threats and risks, including sources and paths of alien species invasion. Prioritize and map local conservation “hotspots.” Develop action plans for highest priority sites, species, and threats, including invasive species, to be implemented as part of village land use pans, integrated wetland management strategy, and other plans and processes. Conduct a community sensitization and awareness campaign on environmental risks and threats (including from invasive species). Pilot/demonstrate activities to manage threats, including invasive species. enable improved protection, sustainable management, and monitoring of their status in the as local, national, and international groups interested in conservation of wetland biodiversity. folk). Mara RAS Division of Environment (DOE); PO-RALG; ward and village councils; research organizations; DEDs; NGOs; CBOs; LVBWB; LVBC; north and south Mara WUAs; MNRT Priority Very important action by as an approach that “uses biodiversity and ecosystem services … to help people to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change,” and may include “sustainable management, conservation and restoration of ecosystems, as part of an overall adaptation strategy that takes into account has considerable potential to strengthen resilience of both human and natural systems in the Mara Wetlands to the effects of climate change, it has yet to be mainstreamed fully into decision making. “Green” approaches continue to be considered a lower priority than conventional “sector-based” or “gray” measures, and awareness is low on the potential to use wetland conservation and wise use as a strategy for strengthening adaptive capacities of human and natural systems. Working in tandem with climate vulnerability assessments and adaptation strategies under development in Projects 2a and 3f, this project will identify key needs, niches, and opportunities to mainstream EbA approaches into land use, development, and conservation planning. This will occur at the landscape level, but with particular focus on villages in which pilot land use plans are under development. It will also seek, wherever possible, to harmonize EbA measures with CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS 17 activities Assess landscape-level climate risks, vulnerabilities, and adaptation needs. Screen village land use plans, species/habitat action plans, and integrated wetland management strategy for areas of potential overlap and synergy. Identify EbA measures that can be mainstreamed into existing sectoral and spatial conservation and development plans. Implement sensitization, awareness, and capacity building in EbA for village and landscape level planners and managers. Support development of pilot EbA measures. level land use, and into development and conservation management planning processes-thereby will be local communities, enterprises, and sectors vulnerable to effects of climate change. National Environment Management Council (NEMC) Local Government Authorities (LGAs); PO-RALG; LVBWB; MNRT; MLHHSD; Ardhi University; NGOs; CBOs Priority Important action Livestock plays a key role in local livelihoods within the Mara Wetlands landscape, providing an important source of household nutrition and cash earnings, as well as functioning as a store of wealth. Most people keep local livestock breeds, and engage in extensive grazing systems based on natural pasture and watering points across the wetland landscape. However, high livestock numbers are stressing natural ecosystems. Overgrazing is leading to grassland degradation, particularly in southern areas, and riverbanks and wetland fringes are affected. This damages overall ecological integrity, lowers water quality, and degrades associated ecosystem services. There is a need to improve sustainability of livestock and pasture management to address conservation threats and strengthen community livelihoods within the wetland landscape. This project will develop and deliver a package of measures for reducing livestock-related pressures on the wetland ecosystem and adding value to sustainable livestock production. These measures include formulation and enforcement of by-laws regulating entry of cattle into ecologically sensitive areas, as well as support to farmers to access improved livestock breeds, activities Identify overgrazed areas and pressures on natural habitats. Scope needs and niches for sustainable livestock production. Formulate by-laws and agreements to regulate grazing in sensitive areas. Train/educate livestock extension workers and farmer groups in capacity building to establish sustainable pasture and livestock management, production, and marketing systems. Support introduction of improved breeds and farm-based feeding practices. in and around the Mara Wetlands. Mara RAS; Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries (MLF) DEDs; Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives (MAFC); MNRT; NLUPC; LVBC; PO-RALG; LVBWB; Mwalimu Nyerere University of Agriculture; Black Agriculture Centre; JKT Lwamkoma; Magereza Kiabakari; north and south WUAs; NGOs; CBOs CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS18 3.2 INVESTMENT PACKAGE 2: While the Mara Wetlands have no formal protected status, different parts of the landscape are subject to various uses, management regimes, and ownership arrangements. As such, a broad array of laws and institutions have some bearing on the wetland landscape, and many different private and public stakeholders have some stake, claim, or responsibility for the land and resources therein. On the one hand, this multiplicity of legal, institutional, and organizational provisions implies existence of a comprehensive body of rules, regulations, and procedures relating to wetland management-some entailing conservation and wise use principles. However, gaps, inconsistencies, and contradictions have become evident among the many sectors, organizations, and stakeholders that depend on accommodate these different interests and establish a coherent and comprehensive framework for wetland conservation, wise use, and sustainable management. By strengthening wetland governance structures while building awareness and capacity among different stakeholders, IP 2 aims to develop effective, inclusive, and sustainable systems for wetland management and use. It targets three project interventions that would enable/enhance important conditions for integrated wetland management: enhancing institutional and legal frameworks (including government accountability and capacity), fostering stakeholder collaboration, and raising public awareness CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS 19 Table 2. Summary of Investment Package 2 (Conservation awareness, capacity, and governance) Priority Very essential action Many agencies, sectors, and stakeholder groups depend on, affect, or assume roles in managing different parts of the Mara Wetlands. This includes land and water users and managers in the laws, policies, programs, and plans touch on wetland ecosystems and on activities affecting them. While some of these activities, institutions, and regulations are well coordinated, consistent, and supportive of conservation and wise use goals, others are at odds with wise use principles, and been established that explicitly deals with sustainable management of the Mara Wetlands or trade-offs associated with balancing needs, goals, and claims of different managers and users. This project will support development of a strategy for integrated management of the Mara Wetlands. It will bring together different local and national government and line agencies, civil society groups, private sector businesses, and community representatives. The project will include efforts to engage at the basin level to address transboundary water and catchment management issues. The aim is to build an overarching framework for conservation, wise use, and sustainable management of the Mara Wetlands that the various programs, projects, and activities of stakeholders will adopt. activities Identify and map interests, needs, and priorities of wetland stakeholders, as well as key laws, policies, and programs touching on the wetland landscape. Establish a multi-stakeholder/multi-sector platform to discuss shared interests, principles, and approaches to wetland management and use. Formulate and agree on a joint strategy for conservation, wise use, and sustainable management of the Mara Wetlands, clearly specifying roles and responsibilities of different actors and agencies. Identify measures to address, harmonize, or resolve inconsistencies and gaps in existing policy and legal frameworks regarding wetland sustainable management, climate adaptation, and mitigation. Facilitate active engagement of stakeholders and managers from the Mara Wetlands in basin wide and transboundary processes. Establishment of a permanent platform for multi-stakeholder/sectoral dialogue and action on wetlands, climate adaptation, and mitigation, resulting in an integrated and harmonized strategic policy and legal framework for conservation, wise use, and sustainable management of the Mara organizations (CSOs), and community members showing interest in, depending on, or impacting the Mara Wetlands. Ministry of Water and Irrigation (MoWI)/LVBWB; Mara RAS LGAs; MNRT; NGOs; CBOs CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS20 Priority Essential action The conservation, wise use, and sustainable management of the Mara Wetlands requires direct involvement of a wide range of LGAs, sectoral line ministries, and CSOs. There is a need to ensure that wetland managers and users within government, local communities, and the private of their activities on the natural environment. Yet many do not possess the knowledge and competencies to engage in wetland and climate-related activities, and are not conversant with environmental rules and regulations governing their activities. There is urgent need to build institutional capacity and accountability regarding wetland-related environmental rights and responsibilities. This project will strengthen capacity, know-how, and competence regarding wetland conservation and climate issues among government agencies and CSOs. This will include providing technical knowledge and training, and instilling general awareness and knowledge required to increase accountability in planning and implementing conservation and development activities within the Mara Wetlands landscape. activities Conduct a needs assessment of existing institutional capacities, gaps, and requirements for addressing wetland and climate issues. Design and deliver targeted training on technical skills and knowledge pertaining to conservation. Design and deliver awareness and information on (1) rights and responsibilities regarding compliance with environmental regulations; and (2) facilitation of wetland wise use, climate adaptation, and mitigation activities. Management of the Mara Wetlands will be more effective, in a manner consistent with conservation, wise use, and sustainable management goals, and supportive of climate change deliver on their mandates in ways that uphold environmental rules and regulations, as well as groups. LGAs; Mara RAS LGAs; LVBWB; MNRT; TFS; NEMC; NGOs; CBOs Priority Very important action Wetland conservation, wise use, and sustainable management cannot be achieved without the active cooperation and support of local communities. Yet, although almost all wetland affect ecosystem services in some way, awareness is low regarding issues related to conservation and wise use. Generally, negative impacts of wetland degradation on human health, well-being, and resilience are not understood; neither are gains and economic opportunities associated with conservation. Building community awareness on these topics can lend important support to conservation efforts in and around the Mara Wetlands, and help identify entry points for better engagement, support, and maintenance of local livelihoods within a sustainable wetland management framework. CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS 21 This project will develop and deliver conservation awareness activities among wetland community members. It focuses especially on wetland resource users and land managers, and others’ preferences, aspirations, actions, and decisions. As such, it complements the more technical training and skills-building activities in support of sustainable livelihoods via IP 3. As well support and buy-in for wetlands conservation, and empowering community members to better participate and engage in conservation activities. activities regarding wetland ecosystems. Design content and prepare targeted educational and awareness materials. Develop visual and print materials, and social media campaigns. Deliver education and awareness communications to target audiences. local leaders will be passed on to other community members, resulting in enhanced support for wetland wise use, reduced threats to the environment, and increased engagement and members. MoWI/LVBWB Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports (MoIYCS); Mara RAS; LGAs; NGOs; CBOs CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS22 3.3 INVESTMENT PACKAGE 3: Communities within the Mara Wetlands landscape depend heavily on natural resources for their day source of food, income, and jobs. The bulk of fuel, construction, and craft materials are sourced from wetlands and woodlands, and many people also earn cash from harvesting, processing, and selling other nature-based products such as bricks, sand, clay, timber, charcoal, reeds, and grasses. These livelihood sources tend to be particularly important for poorer members of the community (who have limited economic opportunities), and also serve as critical fallbacks and safety nets in times of stress. Meanwhile, incidence of poverty remains high in Butiama, Rorya, Serengeti, and Tarime Districts, and many parts of the wetland-adjacent area are remote from markets, other facilities, and services. Opportunities for local employment and income generation are to production or to access improved business and marketing opportunities. To generate essential food and income, many households are forced into activities of land and resource use that are unsustainable. By integrating biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods at the local level, IP 3 aims to strengthen economic prospects and reduce pressure on wetland resources. It emphasizes increased access to alternative, sustainable sources of income and production that will not delete or degrade natural ecosystems, and will be resilient and robust in the face of climate change. IP 3 targets seven project interventions that offer particularly good opportunities to improve ecotourism, climate-smart agriculture, energy-saving practices and technologies, and reduction in vulnerability to climate-induced risks and disasters. All of these activities have been and remain chronically under-funded. CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS 23 Table 3. Summary of Investment Package 3 (Sustainable and climate-resilient local livelihoods) Priority Essential action The Mara Wetlands landscape has been severely deforested over time, and continues to undergo tree loss due to intensifying land use pressures and growing demand for products such as wood fuel and construction materials. Not only does this affect provision of important ecosystem-regulating services (such as erosion control and watershed protection), but it reduces the supply of wood and non-wood products for local households. Need is clear for action to restore forest cover, and to make available alternative, accessible, and affordable sources of wood and non-wood products to wetland households and local institutions. This project will support on-farm tree planting, community and institutional woodlots across the landscape, and development of associated income-generating and value-adding opportunities (e.g., nurseries and seedling production, small-scale wood processing, and fruit and fodder production). The focus is on afforestation and reforestation on farms, institutions, and village lands-supplementing landscape-level restoration and reforestation activities on state lands via Project 1b. activities Conduct a participatory assessment of household and community needs for tree products, and preferences for tree planting. Conduct market research and feasibility studies of local tree-based, income-generating, and value-adding opportunities. Provide key inputs, materials, training, and extension to enable on-farm agroforestry, tree planting, and woodlot establishment at private and community levels. Provide key inputs, materials, training, and extension to support development of value-adding activities at private and community levels. Tree cover will improve, pressure on natural forest areas will decrease, availability and affordability of wood and non-wood products will increase, and local livelihoods will diversify. as schools and prisons) within the Mara Wetlands landscape. Off-site water consumers and lake Mara RAS; NEMC; MAFC/Department of Agriculture (DOA); LGAs; TFS DEDs; MAFC; MNRT; LVBC; LVBWB; Sokoine University of Agriculture; Ukiguru Research Institute; Mwalimu Nyerere University of Agriculture; Black Agriculture Centre; JKT Lwamkoma; Magereza Kiabakari; north and south Mara WUAs; WWF; ViAgroforestry Project; VIFAFIO; Global Resources Alliance; NGOs; CBOs; private sector Priority Important action Fish provide a major source of food and income to households within the Mara Wetlands supplementary form of production and income. It will also support associated processing and CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS24 activities develop by-laws, establish no-take zones and breeding reserves). Provide key inputs, materials, training, and extension to enable aquaculture development and establish value-added processing and marketing activities at the community level. farmers living within the Mara Wetlands landscape. MLF Mara RAS; PO-RALG; VIFAFIO; Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF); NGOs; CBOs; private sector Priority Essential action While honey already provides an important source of income for many households within the Mara Wetlands landscape, production techniques remain somewhat outdated, yields are low, and local markets allow only limited possibilities for value addition. Potential for growth in beekeeping is high as a low-impact, sustainable source of income that can be part of an integrated livelihood strategy. Beekeeping has relatively low labor demands, investment costs, and requirements for other inputs. Opportunities are evident to improve productivity and diversify, and enhance local livelihoods. This project will provide technical, material, and capacity support for local beekeeping production, processing, and marketing. It will work with households currently depending on wetland products, and land uses, to develop alternative and supplementary livelihood options intended to replace unsustainable and illegal activities. activities resource users groups, farmers groups, women groups, and other CBOs. Scope the most appropriate beekeeping technologies and practices for the wetland area, and potential processing and marketing value-added opportunities. Provide key inputs, materials, training, and extension to enable developing and improvement of beekeeping, and establish value-added processing and marketing activities at the community level. Local livelihoods within wetland households will improve, diversify, and become more secure, leading to improved socioeconomic status and reduced pressures on the natural resource base. MNRT/TFS; DESD Mara RAS; PO-RALG; LVBWB; NGOs; CBOs; private sector; VIFAFIO; WWF; Birdlife International CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS 25 Priority Essential action Tourism currently occurs at a relatively low level in the Mara Wetlands, and ecotourism markets are undeveloped. However, the area hosts natural attributes and landscapes with great potential to support nature-based tourist activities, including bird watching, animal viewing, hiking, and water sports. A number of important historical sites are also present in the region. There may be opportunities to develop joint ecological and cultural tourism activities. This project will support and facilitate development of ecotourism within the Mara Wetlands landscape. It will formulate a coherent development strategy based on needs and preferences of key stakeholders, as well as on sound understanding of market demand and potentials. Efforts will occur to equip key government, private sector, and community stakeholders with capacity and means to deliver ecotourism. activities Conduct market assessment of ecotourism potential, visitor demand, and industry interest. Identify possible attractions, routes, required supporting equipment, facilities, and infrastructure. Conduct strategic environmental and social impact assessment of sector development. Carry out stakeholder assessment to identify potential local service providers of cultural and nature-based tourism activities. Identify training and capacity needs among local communities, government, and private sector. Develop ecotourism strategy (including investment plan) for the Mara Wetlands. Launch ecotourism strategy, alongside awareness-raising and publicity activities, at local and national levels. Develop online Mara Wetlands ecotourism portal, and train local government and/or community groups to maintain it. An integrated plan for ecotourism development in the Mara Wetlands will be developed and accepted following consultations with potential users and suppliers of tourist activities, including be local community members, as well as other public and private sector groups engaged in the tourism industry. MNRT; PO-RALG NGOs; private sector Investment Priority Very important Need & basis for action Agriculture forms the basis of rural livelihoods within the Mara Wetlands landscape. However, poverty, and land degradation—inducing many people to engage in environmentally degrading income. Ongoing processes are exacerbating this situation, rendering agriculture more risky and uncertain. Working to develop and extend climate-smart, sustainable, land management practices is a path not only to improved crop yields, income, and food supplies, but also to more secure and resilient livelihoods for farmers, and to decreased necessity of supplementing farm income by dependence on unsustainable sources. CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS26 Scope & content This project will work with farmers to identify, develop, and facilitate uptake of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and sustainable land management (SLM) practices among farmers. Emphasis is on applying a participatory approach involving work with farmers to select techniques and conditions, constraints, and opportunities. Particular priorities will be to regulate access to and utilization of wetlands, and promote wise use and more sustainable farming practices in wetlands and woodland areas. Indicative activities Conduct a participatory assessment of farmers’ land management needs and constraints. Identify and promote appropriate CSA and SLM techniques and practices in consultation with farmers (e.g., drought-resistant crops, high-value crops, soil and water conservation, soil fertility management, greenhouses). Establish demonstration sites, open days, and other communications/ awareness activities regarding CSA and SLM. Provide key inputs, materials, training, and extension to enable CSA and SLM investments at the community level. Results & Crop yields, productivity, and marketing opportunities will increase and stabilize with restoration of soil fertility on farms and reduction of pressures on wetland ecosystems. This will result in greater food and income security, enhanced resilience and adaptation capacity in the face of external shocks and stresses (including climate change), and improved environmental conditions provision of agroecosystem services. Focal agency(ies) MAFC/DOA; NEMC Other partners Mara RAS; PO-RALG; LGAs; Sokoine University of Agriculture; Ukiguru Research Institute; Mwalimu Nyerere University of Agriculture; WWF; Vi-Agroforestry Project; VIFAFIO; Global Resources Alliance; NGOs; CBOs; private sector Investment Priority Very important Need & basis for action and institutions. These energy demands have led to wide-scale deforestation and resulted in aid climate adaptation and mitigation, improve household energy security, and reduce women’s labor. Scope & content This project will introduce and disseminate various energy-saving technologies (e.g., energy biogas, solar, and briquettes). Training local artisans and community groups in construction and maintenance will ensure a readily available local supply of sustainable energy technologies and open up new sources of income and employment. CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS 27 Indicative activities Inventory energy demand, needs, and preferences in the wetland area. Identify appropriate, affordable, and sustainable alternative energy sources and energy s. Mobilize stakeholders, form dissemination groups, and establish demonstration sites. Carry out community outreach, education, and training on manufacture and use of energy saving technologies. Provide key inputs and materials for development of sustainable, energy-based businesses and technologies. Results & For wetland households, demand for wood fuel will lessen, energy will be more affordable, sustainable energy sources will become locally available, and new sources of income will open and from less indoor air pollution. Moreover, pressure on natural woodland areas will decrease. from recovery of natural forests and woodlands, and from associated ecosystem services. Focal agency(ies) Ministry of Energy (ME); Tanzania Mineral Agency (TMA); NEMC; PO-RALG Other partners Mara RAS; LGAs; Tanzania Renewable Energy Association (TAREA); Mobisol Simu solar companies; WWF; Birdlife International; VIFAFIO; Lake Victoria Ecosystem Sustainability Network (LVESNET); NGOs; CBOs; private sector Priority Essential action Climate change poses a major threat to both the natural environment and community livelihoods within the Mara Wetlands landscape. Local households face a range of natural remains obscure about the likely scale of impacts from climate change and the role of climate identifying and planning adaptation measures to reduce vulnerabilities to climate and disaster, and to increase resilience of natural and human systems (e.g., incorporating climate change into planning for conservation, helping farmers adapt to changing agricultural conditions, and climate This project will identify key local vulnerabilities to climate change and disasters, and work at the community level to develop appropriate responses. Aims are to increase resilience of wetland natural, social, and economic systems to stresses and shocks; to reduce risk; and to manage uncertainty. Focuses are on information generation and dissemination, and on developing actions to climate-proof local livelihoods, key economic sectors, and institutional arrangements. Activities will occur in tandem with development of ecosystem-based adaptation measures (Project 1d) and promotion of CSA (Project 3d), as well as actions to enhance water security (Project 4a). CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS28 activities Map climate and disaster risk vulnerability and hazards, including documenting local knowledge, practices, and coping mechanisms relating to stresses, shocks, and emergencies. Identify priority climate and disaster risks, uncertainties, and hazards relating to human and natural systems. Develop climate/disaster responses and action plans for priority sites, sectors, and stakeholder groups. Provide key inputs, materials, and training to support selected, locally driven climate adaptation, as well as measures to reduce risks from disasters. Support education, awareness, and training to enhance community resilience and adaptive capacity. Resilience of natural and human systems to climate change and disaster risks will increase, and vulnerabilities of key sites, sectors, and stakeholders will decrease. Community members will be better empowered to cope with stresses, shocks, and emergencies, and to secure and safeguard in the Mara Wetlands, and groups and sectors within the broader landscape that depend on ecosystem services provided by the Mara Wetlands. Mara RAS LVBWB; PO-RALG; MNRT; MLF; MAFC; DEDs; Division of Environment (DOE); NGOs; CBOs; academic and research institutes; private sector CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS 29 3.4 INVESTMENT PACKAGE 4: About half or more households in the Mara Wetlands do not have regular access to clean, safe, drinking water. While most of the wetland community rely on shallow wells and boreholes as sources of domestic water supply, some still draw water directly from streams, rivers, and swamp areas. Poor waste disposal, sanitation, and hygiene practices pose a threat to water quality and local health. Incidence of water-borne disease remains high, negatively affecting people’s well-being and livelihoods. By supporting improved water, waste, and sanitation facilities, IP 4 seeks to improve water quality and sustain a healthy wetland-adjacent population. It focuses on building awareness and capacity at the community level, and on working to empower wetland households to self-improve their own hygiene and waste management. IP 4 targets four project interventions particularly important to local water quality and health: domestic water supplies, solid waste disposal, sanitation and hygiene, and increased capacity of village health workers. Table 4. Summary of Investment Package 4 (Community water, sanitation, and hygiene) Priority Very important action Some sectors of the wetland community face problems accessing clean and regular water supplies, and must obtain untreated water from open water bodies, rivers, and swamp areas. This water is often contaminated, and may be located at some distance from the household, placing high demands on women’s and children’s labor. The wetlands are also subject to heavy use for watering livestock. This has consequences for people’s health and livelihoods, and for households within the Mara Wetlands landscape. This project will develop and safeguard clean water supplies for domestic (including livestock) use. It focuses on reducing pressure on the wetland environment, decreasing women’s labor burden, and enhancing households’ access to clean, regular water supplies. An additional concern is to ensure conservation and maintenance of the natural ecosystems that provide important water regulation services. While external support is required to assist with initial capital investments, the emphasis is on establishing systems that water users can easily and cheaply maintain. CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS30 activities Conduct a participatory assessment of water availability, access, and needs for wetland households. Check feasibility and design studies of potential water supply and storage upgrades. Formulate plans for enhancement of water supply and storage facilities at village and household levels, including maintenance arrangements with local WUAs. Develop proposals for funding water supply enhancements. Access to clean water supplies will improve, resulting in reduced demands on women’s labor time, improved household health and well-being, and improvements in environmental quality local households, especially those that currently lack access to wells and piped water. LGAs; MoWI/LVBWB Mara RAS; Ministry of Finance (MoF); Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Priority Important action Solid waste poses a major and increasing threat to the wetland landscape. A variety of pollutants and contaminants are entering the soil and water, and litter (some of it toxic or hazardous) is beginning to choke waterways and culverts. Waste disposal facilities in village centers, towns, and public institutions are currently inadequate, and some places lack waste management arrangements. There is an urgent need for actions to manage solid wastes, safeguard human health, and maintain the condition of the wetland ecosystem. This project will support planning and establishment of waste disposal, collection, and management facilities at key points in the Mara Wetlands (e.g., trading centers, institutions, industrial and business zones, and recreational sites). Emphases will be on encouraging waste generating institutions and businesses to “reduce, reuse, recycle” wherever possible; on ensuring proper treatment of any residual, non-biodegradable, hazardous, and potentially polluting substances; and on preventing entry of those substances into the wetland ecosystem. Systems will be established that can be easily sustained at the community level, and managed by local level agencies and organizations. activities Identify main sources of solid waste generation, composition of wastes, and existing management practices. Formulate solid waste management plan, including collection points, management approaches, and disposal needs. Identify solid waste management service providers, the role of local government, and organizations and other arrangements with potential to achieve cost recovery. Construct secure waste disposal and collection points. Establish processing and management system for wastes that can be dealt with on site, and collection and transport arrangements for those that cannot. Raise awareness of “reduce, reuse, recycle” principles, of need for proper waste management, and of penalties and sanctions for improper waste disposal and littering. The amount of solid waste generated and entering the natural environment, particularly harmful and hazardous wastes, will decrease. Human health and wetland status (including land and cleaner and healthier living and working environment. Mara RAS with District Environmental Management Committees (DEMC) NEMC; Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Children and Elderly CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS 31 Priority Very important action Many households living in the Mara Wetlands lack adequate sanitation facilities within the households and in communally used spaces and institutions. Even where latrines have been built, these are not always safe or hygienic—for example, in areas of the district with waterlogged soils. Untreated human wastes are directly entering the environment, contaminating the soil and water. Along with clear and obvious impacts on human health (e.g., incidence of diarrhea and other fecal-transmitted diseases), lack of public and private sanitary facilities also undermines the dignity and well-being of wetland community members, particularly women and girls. This project will work to improve sanitation and hygiene practices and facilities among wetland communities. As well as raising awareness about basic public health and hygiene approaches, this project will encourage households to construct simple, safe latrine and washing facilities for family use, and to adopt hygiene safety principles such as handwashing and boiling drinking water. In addition, public latrines will be developed to serve local institutions (e.g., schools and health centers) and communal spaces (e.g., bus stands, restaurant and bar areas, and trading centers). An innovative approach to community sanitation and hygiene clubs will be followed to help change norms and encourage demand, develop community cohesion and a “culture of health,” and support establishment and maintenance of new facilities and practices. activities Identify existing sanitary practices, facilities, and unmet needs. Design and construct public latrines and handwashing facilities to serve key community institutions and spaces. Identify modalities for operation and maintenance of public latrines and handwashing facilities, as well as possible mechanisms for cost recovery (e.g., via user fees, and public and institutional contributions). Facilitate development and training of community sanitation and hygiene clubs, working through existing institutions and groups (e.g., women’s groups, schools, self-help groups, church associations). Work with and through clubs and local health workers to conduct public awareness campaigns regarding personal, household, and public hygiene and sanitation issues (e.g., boiling drinking water, handwashing, proper use of toilets, etc.). The number of latrines in place and in use will increase substantially within households and community areas. As a result, soil and water contamination is expected to decrease, and health of wetlands residents is anticipated to improve. Especially important and expected will be decreased incidences of gastro-intestinal diseases. All members of the wetland population are LGAs; MHCDGCE/DHO MoWI Priority Very important action Despite presence of a number of clinics, health centers, and dispensaries within the wetland adjacent area, critical gaps remain in delivery of basic public health services. Village health the health system for many community members. These workers deal with a wide range of public health issues, including immunization, family planning and childbirth, HIV/AIDS counselling, domestic violence, and alcohol abuse. Continuous training and skills development is required to equip them for delivery of these public health services. CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS32 This project will develop and deliver targeted training to village health workers on community water, sanitation, and hygiene. Intent is to equip them with key messages and competencies to extend public health messages to wetland community members concerning clean water and personal hygiene practices. Basic awareness and guidance materials will be prepared for dissemination to local households. This project will open up channels of communication and opportunities for regular dialogue among village health workers and community sanitation and hygiene clubs. activities Conduct a training needs assessment based on village health workers’ existing knowledge, needs, and areas of operation. Design content and prepare targeted educational and awareness materials on key water, hygiene, and sanitation issues (e.g., boiling drinking water, handwashing, proper use of toilets, etc.). Deliver training courses to village health workers. Conduct post-training follow-up to ensure updates of skills and monitored dissemination of public health messages. Capacity of village health workers to cope with water, hygiene, and sanitation issues will increase, resulting in changed practices and improved health status among wetland households. Village activities. LGAs; MHCDGCE/DHO MoWI; health centers and dispensaries; village health workers’ village sanitation and hygiene clubs; NGOs CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS 33 LVBC and WWF. (2010). Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Sustainable Management of the Mara River Basin. Lake Victoria Basin Commission of the East Africa Community (EAC) and WWF Eastern and Southern Africa Region WF-ESARPO), Nairobi. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005. Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Synthesis. Island Press, Washington, DC. The Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Programme (NELSAP) of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI). (2008). Mara River Basin Investment Strategy. International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar). Amended 1982 and 1987. United Nations. (1992). Convention of Biological Diversity. United Republic of Tanzania. (2012). 2012 population and housing census. National Bureau of Statistics, March 2013. through the support of USAID-PREPARED Project, UNESCO-IHE and Birdlife International. CONSERVATION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR MARA WETLANDS34 JUMUIYA YA AFRIKA MASHARIKI The Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism Mpingo House40 Nyerere Road 15472, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Tel: +255 22 2861870 1/2/3 Fax: +255 22 2864217 Email: ps@mnrt.go.tz Website: www.mnrt.go.tz