OVERVIEW
The Livelihood and Low-Carbon Investments Component finances on-the-ground activities that improve rural livelihoods, conserve ecosystems and reduces GHG emissions. It has two subcomponents: Agriculture & Forestry management, and Wildlife management. Activities under this component are financed by IDA, BioCF ISFL, and GEF resources. Although the subcomponents are sectoral in nature, the cross-sectoral and landscape approach of the planning activities that underlie the activities ensures that a landscape approach is retained.
- Subcomponent 2.1: Agriculture and Forestry Management
The objective, and missions of the component is to provide financing for interventions that increase agricultural productivity, enhance agro and forest ecosystem resilience, reduce GHG emissions, and sequester carbon using a landscape approach. This subcomponent covers the following activities: (a) scaling up of CSA practices; (b) community forestry management; and (c) land tenure and resource rights regularization.
CSA: Interventions under CSA apply a lead farmer approach to introduce (a) Conservation Agriculture (CA) practices and Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM), (b) agroforestry, and (c) enhanced market access for smallholders and private sector engagement.
Sustainable Forest Management: The purpose of the forestry management intervention is two‐fold: (a) assist the FD to better carry out their functions and to manage select forest reserves for which they are responsible; and (b) to assist local communities to improve the management and conservation of their forest resources and create income opportunities through Community Forest Management (CFM). Investments under this category may include the cultivation or extraction of any forest or non‐timber product that could be sustainably managed. ZIFLP is supporting FD to create Community Forest Management Groups (CFMGs) to develop and implement Forest Management Plans (FMP) that are consistent with village land use plans and follow the guidelines and specifications established in the Forest Act and its regulations, in collaboration with the FD. These plans typically include community forestry enterprises and fire management and prevention. The Project is also promoting afforestation or forest restoration activities in communities and through CFMGs.
Community Forestry Management.
The objective of CFM is to assist local communities and their organizations to improve the management and conservation of their natural resources, create income opportunities, and generate carbon benefits. This is accomplished by developing and implementing participatory land and resource use planning and management including fire control and prevention and providing specialized technical assistance and training to identify viable investments from the sustainable production of timber and non-timber forest products. Activities to be supported will be consistent with the land and resource use plans developed at the village and district levels.
Regularization of Land and Resource Rights.
The subcomponent provides analytical and TA support to expand past and ongoing efforts at documenting land rights that underpin adoption of sustainable low-carbon land management practices and private sector engagement. Activities will feed into the National Land Titling Program and comprise: (a) developing cost-effective systems to sustainably manage information on land rights and linking it to land use; (b) identifying new possibilities of private sector engagement based on an assessment of the extent and impact of existing arrangements; (c) documenting different types of land rights in ways that are supported by local stakeholders and provide incentives for adoption of CSA, sustainable land use, and intensification; and (d) linking land rights to key parameters of land use (crop cover, soil moisture, and soil carbon) using remotely sensed imagery.
Subcomponent 2.2: Wildlife Management
This subcomponent has three major focus areas:
Support for the National Protected Area System.
The ZIFLP in collaboration with Department of National Parks and Wildlife contribute resources to several specific initiatives at a national level to help ensure more sustainability for the EP Protected Area investments by strengthening the overall system. These investments help to strengthen the Protected Area system and the development of more sustainable wildlife-based national tourism.
Community Management of Wildlife.
This part of the Project seeks to promote practices which maximize opportunities for rural communities from adjacent wildlife resources which are positive for biodiversity conservation.
Management of Protected Areas
With a focus on two key protected areas of the EP. This includes Lukusuzi National Park (LNP) and Luambe National Park. The Project is supporting DNPW in the conservation and management of the wildlife resource and promoting benefit sharing with the local communities aimed at increased household incomes thereby reducing pressure on the forests and depletion of wildlife. The intervention leverages the Tourism potential by supporting local communities through substantial investments in Park protection and management, development of Park management plans and institutional capacity building. The DNPW provides policy guidance on various approaches suitable for sustainable wildlife management based on many years of experience with CBNRM.
Community Sub-Grants:
The Project supports community grants for livelihood interventions, aimed at providing incentives for communities to shift from unsustainable natural resource management to alternative sources of livelihoods. The Intervention is aimed at enhancing the economic and environmental benefits for the rural communities in Eastern Province through income-generating and value-addition activities. The Community Sub grants projects are in the three sectors of Agriculture, Forestry and Wildlife covering income-generating activities such as beekeeping, fish farming, goat rearing, vegetable production and agro-processing implemented in an integrated manner. Grants provide an incentive and a real opportunity to uplift the beneficiaries’ incomes and positive contribution to their livelihoods. The Subgrants component represents 15.8% of the total ZIFLP budget.
