WOMEN IN GREEN PRODUCTION - UKIJANI

Simiyu region is partly home to the Serengeti National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and to the large Maswa game reserve, a protected area adjacent to the Serengeti. The hilly country south-west of Singida region hosts the Wembere river, the major river in the Wembere biodiversity area, flowing north through the Wembere flood-plain before feeding the lakes Kitangire and Eyasi (refer to the map).

Until recently little attention has been given to the natural environment adjacent to these important conservation areas. In May 2022, Helvetas initiated a biodiversity assessment in two of the districts, Meatu in Simiyu and Iramba in Singida. The study used endemic birds as indicators of biodiversity within the context of the agricultural landscape. The findings showed that in this landscape there are remaining small areas with endemic species and their natural habitat, including two bird species (Fischer’s Lovebird and Karamoja Apalis, considered «globally threatened» by the International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN) but that these are rapidly disappearing.

The livelihoods of the rural population in these semi-arid regions in central Tanzania are more and more exposed to severe impacts of progressing climate change, as recent years showed increased irregularities and unpredictability in rainfall. An increasing population contributes to more and more deforestation, making the area one of the most deforested areas in the country, directly impacting agriculture and forest production and productivity and ultimately people’s dietary quality. UKIJANI project aims to address these challenges to foster economic growth, social well-being, promote women empowerment and contribute to climate resilience and community landscape restoration.

Project goal: Resource poor women are socially and economically empowered, are more resilient and contribute to improved family livelihoods and community landscape restoration.

Project Direct Beneficiaries: 5,000 farm households and family particulaly women, 100 Local service providers, 200 VSLA groups and Community Resource Persons (CRPs), 55 wards and respective 150 villages, 10 forest garden learning centers and 10 learning centers and on other innovative practices. i.e. (Beekeeping, IPM, water conservation, ect)

Local Project Partners: Community-based groups, TNRF, NLUPC, TLSPA, local governance authorities (LGA; like village governments, ward councils, district and regional authorities), public and private agricultural input and service providers, and partner NGO.

TRACKING PROGRESS: WOMEN, LAND, CLIMATE, AND IMPACT

Overall Reach & Land Governance: The UKIJANI project has reached a total of 6,178 direct beneficiaries (68% women and 46% youth) across 43 wards and 85 villages in Singida and Simiyu regions, with 226 VSLAs (117 in Singida, 109 in Simiyu) established and 91 (91%) Local Service Providers (64% women and 56 youth) trained to cascade knowledge to community members. Under Outcome 1, the project strengthened responsible community land governance by training 113 women in leadership skills, resulting in 794 women actively participating in village environmental committees and 6 women elected as ward councillors during the October general elections. In collaboration with TNRF and NLUPC, capacity building on land tenure and natural resource management rights led to the cumulative issuance of 3,184 Certificates of Customary Right of Occupancy (CCROs), of which 2,191 (68.8%) are female-owned and 623 are jointly owned. Additionally, the project reinforced 21 (70%) Village Land Councils and 9 (150%) Ward Tribunals in Iramba, Ikungi, and Meatu districts, resulting in 89 women's land disputes being resolved inclusively.

Climate Resilient Farming & Food Forests (Outcome 2): The project promoted climate-resilient and diversified farming by training 4,287 beneficiaries (61% women and 47% youth) in agroecological regenerative agriculture practices, healthy food production, and community engagement in landscaping through the food forest approach. The project supported the establishment of 370 Food Forests covering 138 hectares, with 8 active food forest learning centers now in operation, where women demonstrate and explain sustainable techniques. In partnership with Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), 6 MSc students conducted data collection on biomass accumulation across 70 Food Forests (35 in Singida and 35 in Simiyu), while 1 MSc student is currently researching biodiversity changes over time and setting up an embedded system to track these changes, ensuring long-term monitoring of environmental impact.

Access to Services, Financial Inclusion & Economic Impact: 2,100 (70%) women are engaged in sustainable landscape-based value chains including regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, beekeeping, horticulture, food forests, and organic input production, with 231 innovative schemes involving 827 women. The project trained 91 LSPs (64% women and 56 youth) in regenerative agriculture, forestry, VSLA methodology, and financial literacy, who then cascaded this knowledge to VSLA members. Through a voucher system incentivizing service provision and 89 digital VSLA financing platforms via Chomoka Plus, the project has driven significant financial inclusion. Cumulatively, TZS 1.4 billion (CHF 482,830) was saved, TZS 1.42 billion (CHF 485,150) was disbursed in loans, and TZS 758.7 million (CHF 258,948) was invested in climate-friendly ventures, demonstrating the project's tangible impact on women's economic empowerment, climate resilience, and sustainable community development in Singida and Simiyu regions.