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cases from tanzania - Sustainet

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scaling up<br />

HEM: Soil and water conservation on the slopes of Kilimanjaro<br />

Many areas in Tanzania are subject to soil erosion, and would benefit <strong>from</strong> soil and water<br />

conservation on a wide scale. HEM is concentrating its efforts on the northern part of the<br />

country, on the slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro – in particular on 11 further villages nearby. Farmers<br />

in some of these villages have already started copying techniques they have seen in the HEMsupported<br />

area. HEM is seeking funding to support the scaling up to these new villages.<br />

HEM’s close collaboration with the government has been an important factor in its success<br />

in the original eight villages. It aims to continue this collaboration in the new villages. It is<br />

also exploring the possibility of government funding for this work.<br />

The success of by-laws in the initial eight villages is an interesting model to pursue. HEM<br />

discusses this experience with village governments in the new areas. The governments in<br />

several other villages have invited HEM to train them on soil and water conservation during<br />

monthly village assemblies. After this training, some farmers have decided to adopt conservation<br />

measures. The village governments are waiting to see the results before introducing<br />

a new by-law.<br />

The “Uhuru Torch”, a government programme to highlight successful development interventions,<br />

has visited HEM several times. This generates publicity in newspapers and on radio<br />

and TV. It also attracts the attention of local and regional politicians.<br />

Many other organizations are working in other rural areas in Tanzania: they include NGOs,<br />

churches, schools, community organizations and government institutions. HEM tries to<br />

increase their awareness of soil and water conservation approaches. Sometimes HEM approaches<br />

these organizations, and sometimes they come to HEM. HEM also runs training<br />

courses on request for staff of other organizations, and exchanges experiences with other<br />

organizations.<br />

HEM produces training manuals and easy-to-understand printed information materials in<br />

Swahili and English for distribution to farmers in the eight focus villages and other villages in<br />

the three districts, as well as to other NGOs and educational institutions working on similar<br />

issues elsewhere in Tanzania. This helps spread the techniques and approaches developed<br />

by HEM in the eight villages.<br />

HEM technicians visit primary schools and secondary schools in the area. They teach the<br />

schoolchildren about soil and water conservation and other techniques that HEM promotes,<br />

and work closely with the agriculture teachers. The children put into practice what they have<br />

learned on plots in the school’s compound. HEM also arranges training for the teachers to<br />

familiarize them with problems and techniques of sustainable agriculture.<br />

The district government is very interested in the approach and the results of HEM’s work<br />

in the eight villages. District officials responsible for natural resources and agriculture are<br />

frequent visitors, and the District Commissioner has paid several visits. National-level officials,<br />

including the Minister of the Environment, have also come to the area.<br />

As a result of these visits, as well as contacts with various other NGOs, research organizations<br />

and development projects focusing on natural resources conservation, the government<br />

established environment committees in 2004–5 in every village throughout the country.<br />

These committees are responsible for the conservation of natural resources in their area.<br />

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