CBNRM Programme

LEAT has been in the forefront in promoting Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) in the country. The programme has been undertaken since LEAT was established in 1994. However, the programme became more active from 2002, when LEAT became the national focal point for the implementation of the CODEOSUB project. The project is supported by European Union and Ford Foundation through ART Harare and is implemented in 8 SADC Countries. CODEOSUB is aiming at promoting CBNRM under the framework of CBD. Under CODEOSUB, LEAT has managed to reach communities and organize meetings and short training aimed at empowering communities to undertake the role of natural resources management as outlined in the laws. LEAT has also managed to organize national workshops where stakeholders share knowledge and experiences on biodiversity management and set down strategies towards CBNRM.

Under this programme LEAT has spearheaded the role of strengthening the already established National Environmental Coalition of Civil Society Organizations (ECO) which serves as a forum for communities, CBOs, NGOs and Individuals working on Environment. Through CODEOSUB LEAT has been able to link communities, NGOs and the government institutions working on biodiversity for information and resource sharing.

LEAT through CODEOSUB has established the national database for the CBO, NGO and projects working on biodiversity. The database is now serving as a quick way through which contacts for CBOs, NGOs, community groups and Government Institutions working on biodiversity. This is a very fundamental step in resource mobilization as it will enable communities to directly contact with stakeholders who may wish provide their assistances. On the other hand, the database can also be used by stakeholders who wish to assist certain communities directly. Members within ECO can also assist each other in a number of ways, a sustainable way towards resource mobilization which emphasizes the need for NGOs and CBOs to look on other resources apart from financial resources.

Throughout the country LEAT has now representatives in almost all regions in the Eastern, Western, North, South and Central Zone. The representatives have been facilitating access to other NGOs, CBOs and community groups working on biodiversity. This will mark an important step towards developing a complete national database on the CBOs, NGOs and community leaders working on biodiversity which is expected to be part of the Southern Africa Forum by the end of the project.

The main focus of CODEOSUB in Tanzania is to promote CBNRM initiatives in the country. The project is expected to strengthen the capacity of Tanzanian CBOs to effectively participate in CBNRM particularly on policy formulation process within the context of BSAPs and under the framework of CBD. From the project objective, LEAT has structured its implementation plan to focus on the training of communities on the laws and policies related to natural resources management under the framework of the CBD. The training has focused on the provisions, the current policies and laws have for the participatory approach on the biodiversity and natural resources conservation. All the trainings conducted, proved to be very helpful to the communities. It is during these trainings and meetings that the national database is updated.

LEAT is in close collaboration with the government authorities, in the implementation of the project at district and regional level. District Authorities have facilitated access to the communities along with participation in training workshops. Their assistance has yielded a very positive output for the entire implementation period.

Places that were visited for training and meeting are Buhogwa Village in Mwanza, Serengeti in Musoma, Longido and Mlimani in Monduli, Jipe in Mwanga and Chome in Same. Others are in Shinyanga, Kigoma, Mtwara and Loliondo.

In Sept 2002 the national workshop was held at Kindoroko in Moshi and which is famously known as the KINDOROKO WORKSHOP. The workshop was the first of its kind in terms of combining together a wide spectrum of stakeholders ranging from village to national level. KINDOROKO PARTICIPANTS were drawn from Village Environmental Committees, CBO and NGO representatives, District Natural Resources Officers, TPRI, UNDP - GEF Cross Boarder Biodiversity Project and Department of Zoology University of Dar es Salaam.

The approach of the workshop was aimed at exploring opportunities that each stakeholder could have to others. Participants identified areas of cooperation without incurring much financial costs. While Tanzania Plant Genetic Resources Center at TPRI, for example, needed endangered plant species for conservation in their bank a number of representatives from communities said they have species in their places which are getting depleted and they don't have a way of conserving them for a long period of time.

In year two of the project, the IMPALA CBD AND CBNRM WORKSHOP was held in Arusha. Although this workshop had no a big representation from local communities, it had a wider spectrum of stakeholders where members of Parliament were among the participants of the workshop. The list can be seen in the IMPALA PARTICIPANTS. The nature of the workshop was intended to have comments by stakeholders in the coming environmental law. This was an important intervention in making the CBRNM a success by facilitating the process to which participation of local communities to the management of natural resources could be reflected in the incoming laws.

CBNRM Programme

LEAT CBNRM Workshops