Experiences with adopting the catchment approach in sustainable land management: The case of kagera TAMP Tanzania

Abstract

A regional project as part of the Transboundary Agroecosystems Management Project (Kagera TAMP) was implemented in the Kagera River basin covering Burundi, Rwanda Tanzania and Uganda. The project was implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations with financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the governments of the riparian countries. In Tanzania, the project was conducted in four districts (Bukoba, Karagwe, Missenyi and Ngara) in the Kagera region. The project was implemented to address the causes of land degradation, restore ecosystem health and function and generate a range of global environmental benefits across the Kagera basin. In Tanzania, 10 micro-catchments were selected for project implementation involving 14,282 farmers covering about 3500 ha of land. The type, degree and direct and indirect causes of land degradation in the basin were assessed for different land use systems. Similarly, good practices of sustainable land management and their extent, effectiveness and trends were evaluated. A range of maps were developed and used to select land degradation priority areas for project intervention (hotspots). Successful sustainable land management (SLM) practices were introduced into the curriculum of the Farmer Field School (FFS), and a holistic catchment approach was adopted to address SLM in an integrated and multi-sectoral way. Through adopting this catchment approach (see also a long version of the definition on p. 15), drying water sources were regenerated that provide a reliable water supply for domestic and livestock use. Furthermore, training of extension staff and facilitators for the farmer field schools improved smallholder farmers’ knowledge and skills in applying sustainable land management practices. Cropland management increased the crop yield of bananas, maize, beans, and cassava from 20 % to sometimes more than 60 %. Planting of Cajanus cajan and other types of agroforestry technologies, application of farmyard manure and contouring were superior for improving soil quality and reducing soil erosion by more than 20 % of the covered area. Construction of physical contours and their strengthening with vegetative materials, such as fruit trees, grasses and shrubs, including Cajanus cajan, pineapples, vetiver and lemon grass, improved the soil quality. Improved soil quality also increased household income and improved household and community nutrition, which are short-term SLM benefits. These benefits were powerful incentives that led to wider adoption of SLM practices in all catchments. Soil organic carbon sequestration exceeded 20 %. Grassland carrying capacity was improved from 2.5 to 0.7, 5.0 to 0.4 and 3.3 to 0.7 ha/tropical livestock units (TLU). Grassland biodiversity regenerated with the reappearance of endangered trees, shrubs and grasses that have medicinal, socio-economic and cultural value. A total of 31 technical and three policy recommendations were developed and submitted to policy and decision makers for inclusion in development plans. The main challenges included the low priority given by national and local governments to land degradation issues and the lack of financing for and investment in upscaling of sustainable land management practices, limited attention given to land use conflicts and their management, and land tenure and addressing SLM on a sector basis instead of a multi-sector basis. With the benefits demonstrated in implementing the Kagera TAMP project, communities have been empowered to demand further improvement of their natural resources base.