First leaflet on the flagship project in Mozambique - Envirotrade
First leaflet on the flagship project in Mozambique - Envirotrade
First leaflet on the flagship project in Mozambique - Envirotrade
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PLAN VIVO<br />
Nhambita Community Carb<strong>on</strong> Project<br />
<strong>Mozambique</strong><br />
Emissi<strong>on</strong>s reducti<strong>on</strong>s through habitat restorati<strong>on</strong> and<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>able development – a new way of do<strong>in</strong>g bus<strong>in</strong>ess.
Nhambita Community Carb<strong>on</strong> Project<br />
An exemplar of best social forestry practice<br />
The Nhambita Community Carb<strong>on</strong> Project is an<br />
<strong>in</strong>novative susta<strong>in</strong>able-development <strong>project</strong> work<strong>in</strong>g<br />
with forest communities <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> buffer z<strong>on</strong>e of <strong>the</strong><br />
Gor<strong>on</strong>gosa Nati<strong>on</strong>al Park, Sofala Prov<strong>in</strong>ce,<br />
<strong>Mozambique</strong>, to design and implement forestry and<br />
agroforestry activities that enhance susta<strong>in</strong>able<br />
livelihoods, rehabilitate severely degraded forest<br />
envir<strong>on</strong>ments, promote biodiversity and sequester<br />
carb<strong>on</strong>.<br />
This unique groundbreak<strong>in</strong>g pilot <strong>project</strong> has been set up<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Nhambita community <strong>in</strong> Central <strong>Mozambique</strong>, By<br />
<strong>Envirotrade</strong> Limited <strong>in</strong> collaborati<strong>on</strong> with <strong>the</strong> Sofala<br />
Prov<strong>in</strong>cial Government, <strong>the</strong> Gor<strong>on</strong>gosa Nati<strong>on</strong>al Park<br />
and <strong>the</strong> local Nhambita community.<br />
fund<strong>in</strong>g from DFID and <strong>the</strong> EU. Expertise <strong>in</strong><br />
agroforestry extensi<strong>on</strong> work is provided by ICRAF.<br />
The Gor<strong>on</strong>gosa Nati<strong>on</strong>al Park, established <strong>in</strong> 1921, was<br />
<strong>the</strong> former c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> jewel of col<strong>on</strong>ial <strong>Mozambique</strong>.<br />
It was ravaged by years of civil war and many of <strong>the</strong><br />
large bov<strong>in</strong>e species have been pushed to near<br />
ext<strong>in</strong>cti<strong>on</strong>. Dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> civil war, refugees <strong>in</strong>vaded <strong>the</strong><br />
park and <strong>the</strong> animals were shot to supply <strong>the</strong> bush-meat<br />
markets <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> nearest city, Beira. Illegal logg<strong>in</strong>g also<br />
took place <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> park and unc<strong>on</strong>trolled burn<strong>in</strong>g and fires<br />
hampered natural regenerati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
When peace returned to <strong>Mozambique</strong> <strong>the</strong> government<br />
appo<strong>in</strong>ted a dynamic young eng<strong>in</strong>eer, Roberto Zolho, to<br />
rebuild <strong>the</strong> shattered <strong>in</strong>frastructure and restore <strong>the</strong> areas<br />
<strong>on</strong>ce thriv<strong>in</strong>g tourism <strong>in</strong>dustry. The park has embarked<br />
<strong>on</strong> an ambitious scheme to draw <strong>the</strong> people out of <strong>the</strong><br />
park <strong>in</strong>to a c<strong>on</strong>trolled buffer z<strong>on</strong>e of ec<strong>on</strong>omic activity<br />
and development and take <strong>the</strong> pressure off resources<br />
<strong>in</strong>side <strong>the</strong> park – a “human fence” partnership.<br />
The government's nati<strong>on</strong>al rec<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> programme<br />
has de-m<strong>in</strong>ed forest areas, repaired roads and bridges but<br />
that <strong>in</strong> turn has opened up formerly <strong>in</strong>accessible areas to<br />
illegal logg<strong>in</strong>g, extensive charcoal producti<strong>on</strong> and rapid<br />
deforestati<strong>on</strong>. Local communities, anxious to plant and<br />
trade crops and generate <strong>in</strong>come have added to <strong>the</strong><br />
deforestati<strong>on</strong> and degraded <strong>the</strong> natural bio-diversity. In<br />
<strong>the</strong> past four years, hundreds of hectares of land <strong>in</strong> this<br />
area have been reduced to an <strong>in</strong>fertile wasteland due to<br />
<strong>the</strong> forest clearance and illegal charcoal producti<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Gor<strong>on</strong>gosa has <strong>the</strong> highest biodiversity <strong>in</strong> <strong>Mozambique</strong><br />
because of its unique physical structure, relief and<br />
different vegetati<strong>on</strong> types. It has some 74 different<br />
vegetati<strong>on</strong> systems, 15 geological formati<strong>on</strong>s and 40 soil<br />
types. This has given rise to an extraord<strong>in</strong>arily rich flora<br />
with thousands of different species; a high species<br />
diversity of reptiles, frogs and fish, an avifauna of 500 or<br />
more species; 25 wild ungulate species <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g seven<br />
m<strong>in</strong>iature antelope; six primates and three galagos.<br />
The <strong>project</strong> follows <strong>the</strong> Plan Vivo system for community<br />
carb<strong>on</strong> sequestrati<strong>on</strong> that functi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>in</strong> Mexico, India and<br />
Uganda. The <strong>project</strong>, situated <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> buffer z<strong>on</strong>e<br />
surround<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> nati<strong>on</strong>al park has received technical<br />
support from <strong>the</strong> Ed<strong>in</strong>burgh Centre for Carb<strong>on</strong><br />
Management, Ed<strong>in</strong>burgh University and additi<strong>on</strong>al<br />
The aim of <strong>the</strong> <strong>project</strong>: to work <strong>in</strong> partnership with 250<br />
local householders who live with<strong>in</strong> 31,000 hectares of<br />
land of <strong>the</strong> Nhambita Regulado (traditi<strong>on</strong>al authority) <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> buffer z<strong>on</strong>e of <strong>the</strong> Gor<strong>on</strong>gosa Nati<strong>on</strong>al Park, and<br />
dem<strong>on</strong>strate <strong>the</strong> envir<strong>on</strong>mental, ec<strong>on</strong>omic, social and<br />
benefits that can be delivered by implement<strong>in</strong>g a 'best<br />
practice' bus<strong>in</strong>ess-enterprise. The <strong>project</strong> will be rolled<br />
out throughout <strong>the</strong> Park and o<strong>the</strong>r envir<strong>on</strong>mentally<br />
sensitive and degraded sites <strong>in</strong> Africa and <strong>the</strong> develop<strong>in</strong>g<br />
world.
The <strong>project</strong> <strong>in</strong>volves reforest<strong>in</strong>g degraded forest and<br />
alter<strong>in</strong>g land use patterns <strong>in</strong> mashambas (areas of land<br />
"slashed and burned " for crop plant<strong>in</strong>g and left <strong>in</strong> fallow<br />
due to soil degradati<strong>on</strong>) with <strong>in</strong>digenous Miombo<br />
woodland trees, primarily local fruit and bee-fodder<br />
species, fruit trees and o<strong>the</strong>r selected species al<strong>on</strong>g<br />
watersheds to help stabilise <strong>the</strong> riverbanks.<br />
The <strong>project</strong> is work<strong>in</strong>g with local people who c<strong>on</strong>tract<br />
with <strong>the</strong> <strong>project</strong> to plant and ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> trees am<strong>on</strong>gst<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir crops and around <strong>the</strong>ir homesteads. Participants <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>project</strong> are paid USD 7 per t<strong>on</strong>ne of carb<strong>on</strong> stored by<br />
<strong>the</strong> trees <strong>the</strong>y plant. Already <strong>the</strong> <strong>project</strong> has received an<br />
order for 2500 t<strong>on</strong>nes of carb<strong>on</strong> sequestrati<strong>on</strong> from<br />
Future Forests (a UK company) and <strong>project</strong> <strong>in</strong>vestment<br />
from private <strong>in</strong>vestors. Fur<strong>the</strong>r sales are expected to<br />
follow.<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sists of plant<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>in</strong>digenous and fruit trees <strong>on</strong><br />
forest land cleared for agricultural purposes to<br />
dem<strong>on</strong>strate that trees and agriculture can co-exist. Sixty<br />
two mashamba (slash and burn plots) owners have<br />
signed up for this phase of <strong>the</strong> <strong>project</strong>. Their mashambas<br />
have been mapped and a detailed profile developed of<br />
data relat<strong>in</strong>g to land use and o<strong>the</strong>r physical <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Mashamaba owners have participated <strong>in</strong> this process<br />
that <strong>in</strong>cludes c<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong> and plant<strong>in</strong>g of some 10 000<br />
trees of appropriate and desired species.<br />
The sec<strong>on</strong>d, much larger phase of <strong>the</strong> <strong>project</strong>, <strong>in</strong>volves<br />
<strong>the</strong> systematic rehabilitati<strong>on</strong> of a 100 000 hectare area of<br />
community land border<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Nati<strong>on</strong>al Park. This<br />
<strong>project</strong> is a partnership between <strong>the</strong> Nhambitha<br />
Community, <strong>the</strong> University of Ed<strong>in</strong>burgh, <strong>the</strong> European<br />
Uni<strong>on</strong> and ICRAF, ECCM and <strong>Envirotrade</strong> Ltd as <strong>the</strong><br />
implement<strong>in</strong>g agencies. This phase of <strong>the</strong> <strong>project</strong> will<br />
focus <strong>on</strong> forest habitat restorati<strong>on</strong> and deforested areas<br />
will be targeted for systematic replant<strong>in</strong>g. The European<br />
Commissi<strong>on</strong> has committed 1.6 milli<strong>on</strong> euros to <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>project</strong> over a five year period to kick-start <strong>the</strong><br />
producti<strong>on</strong> of carb<strong>on</strong>-offsets for sale.<br />
<strong>Envirotrade</strong> will work closely with <strong>the</strong> Community<br />
Associati<strong>on</strong> to build representative and accountable<br />
structures <strong>in</strong> l<strong>in</strong>e with <strong>the</strong> Plan Vivo model and to<br />
commercialise <strong>the</strong> susta<strong>in</strong>able exploitati<strong>on</strong> of n<strong>on</strong>-timber<br />
forest products. Carb<strong>on</strong> sequestrati<strong>on</strong> will be achieved<br />
us<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g techniques,<br />
Target<strong>in</strong>g deforested areas with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> next five years<br />
with a programme of habitat-restorati<strong>on</strong> re-establish<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Miombo woodland, enhanc<strong>in</strong>g biodiversity and work<strong>in</strong>g<br />
with <strong>the</strong> Nati<strong>on</strong>al Park adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong> to restore <strong>the</strong> park<br />
to its former status as <strong>Mozambique</strong>’s premier wild life<br />
park are key <strong>project</strong> objectives.<br />
<strong>Mozambique</strong> has suffered enormously as a result of<br />
global climate change and envir<strong>on</strong>mental degradati<strong>on</strong><br />
with devastat<strong>in</strong>g floods exacerbated by <strong>the</strong> destructi<strong>on</strong><br />
of forest <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> watershed areas of its major rivers. This<br />
<strong>project</strong> sets out to dem<strong>on</strong>strate that it is possible to<br />
address <strong>the</strong>se issues <strong>in</strong> a susta<strong>in</strong>able manner.<br />
The carb<strong>on</strong> offset generated by tree plant<strong>in</strong>g is sold <strong>on</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternati<strong>on</strong>al carb<strong>on</strong> trad<strong>in</strong>g market or to <strong>in</strong>dividual<br />
companies eager to neutralise <strong>the</strong>ir carb<strong>on</strong> emissi<strong>on</strong>s and<br />
comply with <strong>the</strong> requirements of <strong>the</strong> Kyoto protocol.<br />
The Plan Vivo system aims to achieve a strategic<br />
positi<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> future develop<strong>in</strong>g carb<strong>on</strong> emissi<strong>on</strong><br />
market that is estimated to grow to £20 billi<strong>on</strong> by 2025.<br />
The first phase of <strong>the</strong> <strong>project</strong> <strong>in</strong>volves a community<br />
“learn<strong>in</strong>g through do<strong>in</strong>g” pilot exercise to raise<br />
awareness about carb<strong>on</strong> management and <strong>the</strong><br />
c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> of trees. This phase, which is underway,<br />
• Agroforestry, to improve <strong>the</strong> fertility of <strong>the</strong> soil and<br />
provide a range of products for domestic use such as<br />
fuel wood and fodder for livestock. Improv<strong>in</strong>g<br />
agricultural systems reduces <strong>the</strong> pressure for<br />
farmers to clear new areas of forest for crops.<br />
• Live fences, (<strong>in</strong>digenous Miombo biome forest<br />
species) to provide shelter and shade al<strong>on</strong>g<br />
mashamba boundaries<br />
• Plant<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>in</strong>digenous species fruit trees adjacent to<br />
dwell<strong>in</strong>gs to provide a fruit crop and shade.<br />
• Riparian stabilizati<strong>on</strong> plant<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
• Habitat restorati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> severely degraded areas.<br />
Mashambas will be planted with bee fodder, nitrogen<br />
fix<strong>in</strong>g and fruit trees to provide l<strong>on</strong>g-term carb<strong>on</strong><br />
storage. Estimated carb<strong>on</strong> storage is based <strong>on</strong> basic<br />
mensurati<strong>on</strong> data from forest plots. Growth rates were<br />
extrapolated from <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> supplied by local agroforesters,<br />
research data and from visual evidence of<br />
recently established trees <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Gor<strong>on</strong>gosa Nati<strong>on</strong>al<br />
Park. After 25 years, <strong>the</strong> amount carb<strong>on</strong> sequestered by<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>project</strong> is <strong>project</strong>ed (based <strong>on</strong> assumpti<strong>on</strong>s) to be 90<br />
tC per hectare. Maximum carb<strong>on</strong> storage of 120 tC/ha is<br />
achieved between 70-80 years. This gives average<br />
carb<strong>on</strong> storage over 100 years of 92 tC/ha. The saleable<br />
carb<strong>on</strong> from <strong>the</strong> <strong>project</strong> is <strong>the</strong>refore assumed to be<br />
between 90 and 92tC/ha.
www.envirotrade.co.uk — a new way of do<strong>in</strong>g bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
<strong>in</strong>vest<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> forest communities and bio-diversity to combat global warm<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>Envirotrade</strong> Limited, a UK based company, is<br />
develop<strong>in</strong>g a unique social forestry model that address<br />
<strong>the</strong> challenges of climate change, susta<strong>in</strong>able<br />
development and poverty <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> develop<strong>in</strong>g world <strong>in</strong><br />
c<strong>on</strong>juncti<strong>on</strong> with <strong>the</strong> Ed<strong>in</strong>burgh Centre for Carb<strong>on</strong><br />
Management (ECCM).<br />
The bus<strong>in</strong>ess is commercially viable by sell<strong>in</strong>g carb<strong>on</strong><br />
offsets generated by sequestrati<strong>on</strong> through a<br />
comb<strong>in</strong>ati<strong>on</strong> of reforestati<strong>on</strong>, agro-forestry and forest<br />
management. A percentage of <strong>the</strong> revenues raised<br />
through carb<strong>on</strong> trad<strong>in</strong>g are paid back to farmers who<br />
plant trees <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir land and <strong>the</strong> Plan Vivo carb<strong>on</strong><br />
registry model successfully developed <strong>in</strong> Mexico by<br />
ECCM to ensure returns.<br />
<strong>Envirotrade</strong> works with small local farmers and forest<br />
product users to adopt new and susta<strong>in</strong>able methods of<br />
land-use; it works with <strong>the</strong>se communities to grow and<br />
plant <strong>in</strong>digenous trees, nitrogen fix<strong>in</strong>g species and fruit<br />
trees over <strong>the</strong> l<strong>on</strong>g-term (no less than 25 years), and<br />
aims to encourage bio-diversity through <strong>the</strong> restorati<strong>on</strong><br />
of forest habitats. Forest communities benefit <strong>on</strong> three<br />
fr<strong>on</strong>ts: from better and more varied food producti<strong>on</strong>; an<br />
enriched and biodiverse<br />
envir<strong>on</strong>ment; and an additi<strong>on</strong>al reliable <strong>in</strong>come<br />
from carb<strong>on</strong> sequestrati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Traditi<strong>on</strong>ally, ec<strong>on</strong>omic development and envir<strong>on</strong>mental<br />
c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> and biodiversity have been <strong>in</strong> tense<br />
c<strong>on</strong>flict. <strong>Envirotrade</strong> has set itself <strong>the</strong> task of shift<strong>in</strong>g<br />
that destructive paradigm; reshap<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> relati<strong>on</strong>ship<br />
between forest communities and <strong>the</strong>ir envir<strong>on</strong>ment, and<br />
between <strong>the</strong> envir<strong>on</strong>ment, ec<strong>on</strong>omic development and<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess. The imperatives of ec<strong>on</strong>omic development and<br />
biodiversity are no l<strong>on</strong>ger <strong>in</strong> competiti<strong>on</strong>. A new type of<br />
land use <strong>project</strong>, driven by livelihood creati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> areas<br />
were unsusta<strong>in</strong>able use of natural resources threatens<br />
biodiversity, br<strong>in</strong>gs two often c<strong>on</strong>flict<strong>in</strong>g currents<br />
toge<strong>the</strong>r to mutual advantage.<br />
Plan Vivo enables communities to translate <strong>the</strong> value of<br />
natural resources <strong>in</strong>to social and o<strong>the</strong>r capital to ensure<br />
food security and susta<strong>in</strong>able livelihoods. Plan Vivo s<br />
not a m<strong>on</strong>oculture forestry <strong>in</strong>itiative driven solely by<br />
carb<strong>on</strong> trad<strong>in</strong>g – it addresses <strong>the</strong> issues of social equity,<br />
poverty alleviati<strong>on</strong> and biodiversity <strong>in</strong> equal measure.<br />
<strong>Envirotrade</strong> Ltd. (UK)<br />
Suite K3 Cumbrian House, 217 Marsh Wall<br />
LONDON, E14 9FJ, UNITED KINGDOM<br />
+44 1937 579945 (t) 573131 (f)<br />
mail@envirotrade.co.uk<br />
Susta<strong>in</strong>able land-use <strong>project</strong>s and <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
ability to sequester or "recycle"' carb<strong>on</strong> is<br />
<strong>the</strong> eng<strong>in</strong>e that drives <strong>Envirotrade</strong>.<br />
<strong>Envirotrade</strong>’s <strong>project</strong>s are a catalyst for better land-use,<br />
a social agent for alleviat<strong>in</strong>g poverty <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> develop<strong>in</strong>g<br />
world and a champi<strong>on</strong> for community empowerment. In<br />
<strong>the</strong> Plan Vivo, local farmers take ownership of <strong>the</strong><br />
carb<strong>on</strong> assets so <strong>the</strong>y become self-susta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, and are<br />
able to break <strong>the</strong> cycle of dependence <strong>on</strong> external aid<br />
and NGO’s to shape <strong>the</strong>ir own future.<br />
<strong>Envirotrade</strong> works toge<strong>the</strong>r with forest communities to<br />
grow trees that <strong>the</strong> community will nurture throughout<br />
<strong>the</strong> sequestrati<strong>on</strong> cycle small farmers are assisted to<br />
maximise food producti<strong>on</strong> paid a % of <strong>the</strong> carb<strong>on</strong><br />
trad<strong>in</strong>g revenue. The farmers own <strong>the</strong> trees and land<br />
rights. <strong>Envirotrade</strong> owns nei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> land nor <strong>the</strong> trees.<br />
<strong>Envirotrade</strong> is not a charity. It ploughs <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong>to<br />
poor local communities and <strong>the</strong>ir degraded envir<strong>on</strong>ments<br />
and brokers carb<strong>on</strong> sequestered by habitat rehabilitati<strong>on</strong><br />
<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternati<strong>on</strong>al market to build livelihoods.<br />
<strong>Envirotrade</strong> aims to enrich <strong>the</strong> lives of small farmers,<br />
promote biodiversity and mitigate global warm<strong>in</strong>g while<br />
creat<strong>in</strong>g a healthy and susta<strong>in</strong>able bus<strong>in</strong>ess for <strong>the</strong><br />
future. It is set to create a shift that will br<strong>in</strong>g about<br />
enormous and positive social, ec<strong>on</strong>omic and<br />
envir<strong>on</strong>mental change to <strong>the</strong> develop<strong>in</strong>g world.