Project Name
Strengthening Commitment to Maasai Indigenous Knowledge and Culture for Enhanced Climate Resilience in Tanzania
Funder
GEF/UNIDO
Grant Amount
Cost shared: GEF USD $ 98,000 – Kesho Trust: USD $ 35,600
Duration
Start: November, 2024 End: October, 2026
Background
The project builds on the success of the previous project under the Indigenous Knowledge Bridging of Land and Water Governance in Tanzania and Canada (IKG). Ended in 2022, the IKG was centered on a direct engagement with traditional knowledge of the indigenous Maasai people and the utilization of that knowledge to inform land and resources governance in Tanzania.
Status
Approved, Ongoing. By end of December 2024, KT has initiated the project introduction at various levels, including the President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government Tanzania (PO-RALG), Regional (Tanga and Arusha), District (Ngorongoro and Kilindi), and the community level (Elerai and Enguserosambu villages).
Current Activities (January, 2025)
- conducting village meetings for awareness creation on changing pressures such as climate change, trends in land use change, government policies on development and economic growth;
- conducting community dialogues with key people (e.g. traditional and village leaders) to discuss issues related to increasing competition and encroachment by non-Maasai communities for access to agricultural land, water and natural resources
- formulating youth-led environmental clubs in 10 schools (50 students per school) through Malihai Clubs of Tanzania and train them on the importance and use of traditional knowledge and values in land and natural resource management.
Objectives and Activities
The project’s overall objective is to promote the acceptance and use of Maasai traditional knowledge of community land and natural resources management for improved adaptations and resilience strategies to impacts of climate change in Enguserosambu ward (Ngorongoro District) and Elerai village (Kilindi District).
The project will help to achieve the following four (4) specific objectives through the lisied associated activities:
- To strengthen commitment to and integration of Maasai’s indigenous knowledge and culture for enhancing natural resource governance and promoting climate resilience in Enguserosambu and Elerai project sites
- raise community awareness of changing pressures such as climate change, government policies on development and economic growth, trends in land use change, and increasing competition and encroachment by non-Maasai communities for access to agricultural land, water and natural resources.
- promote to younger generation the importance and use of traditional knowledge in land and natural resource management.
- promote conservation of community vulnerable ecosystems using indigenous knowledge
- conduct community dialogues on the importance and the use of indigenous knowledge of land and natural resource management.
- To develop and promote implementation of community action plans based on traditional knowledge to address climate change impacts and adapting community infrastructure
- develop and promoting implementation of action plans to conserve and protect water sources and other vulnerable ecosystems.
- develop water supply infrastructure to lessen impact of climate change influences.
- develop action plans for pasture management and control of invasive species.
- develop and promoting implementation of disaster risk management and community weather advisories using Participatory Scenario Planning prior to the release of seasonal weather forecasts by Tanzania Metrological Agency (TMA)
- develop and promoting implementation of community action plans for plastic waste management.
- To promote innovative and resilient livelihood activities for increased community’s climate change adaptive capacity
- promote eco-friendly farming practices such as climate-smart agriculture to enhance food security.
- promote and implementing ecotourism and cultural tourism activities by supporting the development of the Elerai culture camp.
- promote women and youth empowerment through capacity building on business and entrepreneurial skills to enhance their economic stability
- promote environmental friendly activities such as beekeeping and Community Conservation Banks (COCOBA).
- To advocate for government policy improvement on Maasai pastoralism and strengthen indigenous people supportive partnerships locally, nationally, and internationally
- advocate for local/district, regional and national policy and decision makers on the importance of pastoralism and gauging for their improvements.
- train the Maasai community members to understand current policies and regulations governing pastoralism in the country.
- work with other local Maasai organizations to share knowledge and experiences
- expand impact of effective solutions for maintaining cultural integrity and build on links to indigenous communities in Canada.