Pathways of REDD+ Piloting in Enhancing Sustainable Forest Management: The Case of Masito-Ugalla Ecosystem, Western Tanzania.

Abstract

In Tanzania, the piloting phase for the Reduced Emission from Deforestation and forest Degradation lasted for almost 8 years, between 2008 and 2016. REDD+ pilot projects were implemented to document critical lessons that would inform the development of REDD policy in the country, including the development of REDD strategy and Action Plan that the government endorsed in March 2013. Major thematic areas for piloting were to understand the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, community engagement approaches, alternative livelihoods in the context of REDD+, measurement, reporting and verification of carbon issues in the context of REDD+ and financing questions. In western Tanzania, REDD+ was implemented in the same vein, with several activities employed with the involvement of state and non-state actors. This study evaluated the success and failure of the REDD+ mechanism in the Masito-Ugalla Ecosystem to draw lessons for future REDD+ implementation. This study employed a cross-sectional design that applied a mixed methods approach in collecting primary and secondary data, including 528 questionnaires, eight focus group discussions and data from direct observations. Before the REDD+ pilot, results indicate the existence of different forms of forest management, both traditional and modern, with traditional approaches being stricter than conventional and whose strength lost over time. The rise of conventional approaches was to alleviate deforestation that started in the aftermath that necessitated the development and implementation of conservation projects, whereby the REDD+ pilot is credited for stakeholder involvement and awareness creation programmes. However, it was challenging to balance conservation under REDD+ and community socio-economic development to achieve sustainable forest management targets, including alleviating shifting cultivation. The lack of completion of REDD+ activities such as the sale of carbon credits due to its short lifespan was an indication of REDD+ failure to achieve its milestones. Results illustrate further that transparency in planning for benefits distribution among actors, community empowerment, equity and equality and community responsiveness are necessary to foster community participation in SFM processes. Unless the transfer of tenure rights from the government (especially in JFM) to communities surrounding forests, it will be hard for local communities to effectively participate in future SFM activities. Findings highlight the need to clearly define how local communities surrounding forests can sustainably be engaged in management and conservation and benefit from their engagement in such processes.