TZ-REDD Newsletter

About the newsletter 

The TZ-REDD quarterly newsletter is a part of the TFCG/MJUMITA project funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway. The newsletters aim to keep practitioners, donors, universities and CSOs up-to-date about REDD projects in Tanzania, upcoming events, and REDD developments around the world.  

Click here to download the PDF version of the newsletter.

TZ-REDD Newsletter

Issue No. 8, August 2012

Contents

I.  National REDDyness… 

1. Updated Draft National REDD+ Strategy and Action Plan Released
2. Further Progress on the Road to National REDD+ Safeguards
3. Ongoing Research and Capacity Building under CCIAM
4. ForumCC and CGP Tanzania Host Rio+20 CSO Preparatory Meeting

II.  Updates from the Field

1. MCDI
2. TFCG and MJUMITA
3. TaTEDO
4. WCS

III.  Highlights from Abroad

1. REDD+ at Bonn Climate Change Conference (May 2012)
2. REDD+ at Rio+20?

IV.  Resources

      I.            National REDDyness…

Updated Draft National REDD+ Strategy and Action Plan Released

The National REDD+ Task Force (NRTF) released a second draft of the National REDD+ Strategy and an accompanying draft Action Plan in June 2012. The structure of the Strategy is largely consistent with the first draft (December 2010), including interventions and activities centered around ten key result areas (KRAs): (1) REDD baseline scenario, monitoring, reporting and verification system established; (2) Financial mechanism and incentive schemes for REDD+ established; (3) All stakeholders are engaged and actively participate in the REDD implementation process; (4) All REDD+ schemes are well coordinated; (5) All REDD+ financing options are well understood; (6) Governance mechanism for REDD in place; (7) Training programme and infrastructure for REDD+ developed; (8) Current knowledge and scientific understanding of REDD+ issues improved through research; (9) An effective information, knowledge and communication system on REDD+ issues developed; and (10) REDD+ strategy options for addressing drivers of deforestation and forest degradation developed.

The new draft Action Plan provides the strategic statements, rationale, goals, objectives, required activities, performance indicators, proposed timeframe, key players, and estimated budget for each of the ten KRAs or main strategic interventions of the draft Strategy.

The NRTF should be commended for producing this second draft of Tanzania's National REDD Strategy, and for soliciting a second round of comments and feedback. (Comments can be directed to the National REDD+ Secretariat at P.O.BOX 35097 Dar Es Salaam or reddtz@ira.udsm.ac.tz through the end of August 2012).

The July 2012 (no. 30) UN-REDD Newsletter summarizes next steps for the Strategy's finalization. It notes that the NRTF Secretariat will hold stakeholder consultation workshops to discuss the second draft and next steps, including workshops around the country, a national high-level workshop, and discussions with development partners. The Parliamentary Committee on Land, Natural Resources and the Environment will also discuss the draft before it goes to the Cabinet for approval.

As new feedback is being provided, it is important to review this second draft in light of previous feedback that was provided by civil society organizations.  Therefore, the table below briefly compares the newly released draft (June 2012) to comments and recommendations from CSOs submitted after the release of the first draft (December 2010).   A complete analysis of this updated draft has yet to be undertaken; however, this rapid review suggests that while substantial and important changes have been made, there are key issues yet to be clarified.

Further Progress on the Road to National REDD+ Safeguards

REDD+ SES hosts learning meeting in Tanzania

Submitted by Mr. Erneus Kaijage (Clinton Climate Initiative)

The 4th REDD+ Social & Environmental Standards (REDD+SES) Global Exchange and Learning Workshop was held in Dar es Salaam, May 3-7. It was organized by the REDD+SES International Secretariat (comprised of the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance (CCBA) and CARE International), along with the government of Tanzania (through the National REDD+ Task Force), and the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) serving as the local hosts. The overall workshop objective was to provide an opportunity for capacity building and exchange among government and civil society members of the teams facilitating REDD+ SES and other REDD+ safeguards mechanisms, particularly regarding design, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of sound, robust and credible safeguards systems together with the safeguards information systems.

The workshop was opened by the Assistant Director of Environment in the Vice President's Office and was attended by participants from Peru, Guatemala, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, Nepal, Liberia, DR Congo, Ecuador and Tanzania. The Tanzanian delegation included all members of the National REDD+ Task Force and the Technical Working Group on REDD+ safeguards and governance as well representatives of the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the Institute of Resource Assessment (University of Dar es Salaam) and UN-REDD Tanzania.

The workshop had focused presentations as well as substantial time for active discussion, covering several topics, including synergies and differences between various sets of safeguards (REDD+ SES, SESA, UN-REDD social and environmental principles and criteria) and possible approaches to integrate these different sets of safeguards.

The workshop culminated in action plans developed for each country for the next six months. A field visit was also organized and hosted by the Care/HIMA REDD+ pilot project in Zanzibar, allowing participants to learn how social and environmental safeguards issues are being addressed by some of the project.

NRTF and Technical Working Groups Participate in REDD+ Safeguards and Standards Capacity Building Training

Members of the new National REDD+ Task Force (NRTF) and several of its Technical Working Groups (TWGs), including those on financial mechanisms and on REDD+ safeguards and governance, participated in a capacity building training on international and national REDD+ safeguards May 22-23 (Bagamoyo) organized by the National REDD+ Secretariat. 

Last September (2011) a preliminary training on social and environmental standards was held for members of the original NRTF, representatives from REDD+ pilot projects and other stakeholders. Following the reconstitution of the NRTF, membership has been expanded to include other government ministries and Civil Society Organizations. Five Technical Working Groups (TWGs) have also been established to work on thematic areas pertaining to: MRV systems, financial mechanisms, energy drivers, agriculture drivers, and REDD+ safeguards and governance.  The NRTF and TWGs will spearhead the process of establishing social and environmental safeguards for REDD+ implementation in Tanzania. The May training was thus aimed at helping build the capacity of these members to develop and implement such safeguards, including developing a roadmap for their establishment.  Prior to that, NRTF members had an opportunity to participate in the May, "Exchange and Learning Workshop," which was organized by the REDD+ SES Initiative (see above).

With regard to international safeguards and standards, the May training in Bagamoyo focused on the safeguards under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UN FCCC), the UN-REDD Social and Environmental Principles and Criteria (SEPC) and related decision support tools, and the REDD+ Social and Environmental Standards (REDD+ SES). With regard to national safeguards, participants were given overviews of relevant content in a range of existing national acts, policies, and regulations, including environmental impact analysis (EIA), as well as a review of the content of the draft National REDD+ Strategy in relation to international safeguards. The trainees were also presented with a preliminary step-by-step approach to establishing a national social and environmental safeguards system for REDD+, which is being developed jointly by UN-REDD and REDD+SES.

Ongoing Research and Capacity Building Under CCIAM Tanzania

Submitted by CCIAM

Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation (CCIAM) is a 5-year program launched in 2009, funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy and implemented by Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) with the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB) as the main Norwegian partner. Its objective is to develop and sustain adequacy in national capacity to participate in climate change. Particular emphasis is given to REDD initiatives, including through implementation of research projects on REDD and PFM sites. These projects aim in part to make links with the nine ongoing pilot projects.

A programme mid-term CCIAM review was conducted by Deloitte & Touche in late May 2012.

Six research projects have been selected and will go forward from a second call for proposals. They are:

•     Economic assessment of climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerability in Tanzania: The case of Pangani river basin (Prof. J.P. Hella, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA)

•     Rangeland management strategies for adaptation and mitigating climatic change in agro-pastoral communities (Prof. Mtengeti, E.J., SUA)

•     Modeling scenarios of REDD+ in response to regulation of population (Dr. E. F. Nzunda, SUA)

•     Assessing leakage levels in REDD pilot project areas in Tanzania (Dr. M. Mdemu, ARU)

•     Quantification of carbon stock changes under different forest tenure and their implication to livelihood in Miombo woodland, Tanzania (Prof. S.S. Madoffe, SUA)

•     Development of Integrated watershed and community-based climate change adaptation strategy for sustainable water resources management (Prof. S. Mwakalila, UDSM)

As part of ongoing capacity building efforts, twelve students are at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB), completing a 1-semester course (January – June 2012). Four PhD students will also soon be leaving for UMB for a 1-semester course (September - December 2012).

Recent CCIAM meetings and workshops include the 6^th Programme Joint Steering Committee Meeting (SUA, 25 April) and a workshop on 'Development of Information and Communications Management Strategy' (Morogoro, 8 to 10 May).  The 1^st Programme Scientific Conference was also held. Fifteen papers from this conference have been sent for printing, including:

1.       Allometric models for prediction of aboveground biomass of single trees in miombo woodlands in Tanzania (Mugasha, W.A., Eid, T., Bollandsås, O. M., Malimbwi, R.E., Chamshama, S.A.O., Zahabu, E., and Katani, J.Z)

2.       Implications of Landuse/cover changes over three decades on community livelihoods within the context of REDD: A case of Mgori Forestry in Singida (Majule A.E., Maganga, F.P., and Abdalah, J)

3.      REDD Realities: Lessons Learned from REDD+ Pilot Projects in Kondoa and Rungwe Districts, Tanzania (Kajembe, G.C., Silayo, D.A., Kitula, M. M Lyatura, N. Mutabaz, K.J. and Massawe, F. and Vatn, A)

4.      The use of indigenous knowledge in weather and climate prediction in Mahenge and Ismani Wards, Tanzania (Kijazi, A. L., Chang'a, L.B., Liwenga, E.T., Kanemba, A. and Nindi, S.J)

5.      Status of REDD+ Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) System for Tanzania (Zahabu, E)

6.       Dynamics of land use and land cover changes in the Pugu and Kazimzumbwi Forest Reserves (Mdemu, M., Kashaigili, J.J., Lupala, J., Levira, P., Liwenga, E., Nduganda, A. and Mwakapuja, F.)

7.      Advancing REDD in the Kolo Hills Forests (ARKFor): progress, challenges, lessons and opportunities (Matilya, G.J)

8.       The challenges and opportunities conservation initiatives may present on livelihoods to smallholders in Mgori Community Based Forest Reserve (Abdallah, J.M., Majule, A.E. and Mwakisu, A.I)

9.       Preliminary Assessment of Forest Structure, Management and Carbon Stocking in Tanzania Miombo Woodland (Madoffe, S.S., Rija, A.A., Midtgaard, F., Katani, J.Z., Mbeyale, G., Zahabu, E., Liwenga, E., Christopher, B.C.)

10.   Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation: Preliminary Observations from Forest Adjacent Communities in Kilombero District, Tanzania (Augustino, S., Makonda, F.B.S., Shemdoe, R.S., Ishengoma, R.C., , Gillah, P.R. and Migunga, G.A)

11.   Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Among Coastal and Mangrove Dependent Communities: A Case of Bagamoyo District (Mbwambo, J.S., Ndelolia, D., Madalla, N., Mnembuka, B., Lamtane, H.A., Mwandya, A. W., and Zahabu, E)

12.   Response and intensification of fruit trees in mitigation of degraded farmlands and adaptation to climate change in farming communities (Kusolwa, P.M., Mgembe, E.R., Madalla, N., Nyomora, A., Kanemba, A.D. and Mbuya, E)

13.   Practical approach for sustainable Solar Electrification of remote Rural Communities in eastern Africa: the case of Tanzania (Kweka, A., Synnevag, G., Massawe, F., Wambura, S., and Mignouna,D.)

14.   Public –Private Partnership collaboration in environmental climate compatible agricultural growth. Preliminary observation (Mtengeti, E., Mtengeti, E., West, J., Christopher Mahonge, C., Eik, L.O., Bentrup, F., and R. Chambuya, R)

15.   Enhancing Information and Communication Management for CCIAM Programme: Achievements, Challenges and way forward (Prof. D.S. Matovelo)

ForumCC and CGP Tanzania Host Rio+20 CSO Preparatory Meeting

Adapted from Forum CC Meeting Report available here. 

The landmark United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) (Rio+20) took place in Brazil on 20-22 June 2012. (See article below for more info on Rio+20)

The Tanzania CSOs Forum on Climate Change (ForumCC) and the Citizens Global Platform (CGP) Tanzania, with support from KEPA Tanzania, co-organized a CSO preparatory workshop on June 6^th in  Dar es Salaam.  The purpose of the event was to facilitate Tanzanian CSOs in identifying and communicating their concerns and priorities for advocacy during Rio+20. The workshop reflected on Rio+20 negotiations, the Tanzanian government's National Rio+20 Report, and CSO advocacy initiatives, including identification of priority issues. The workshop also discussed strategies for CSOs' participation in the forthcoming Africa Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) to be held in September 2012 (Arusha) as AMCEN will be significant in guiding implementation of Rio+20 outcomes.

Invitees included approximately forty-five stakeholders and experts representing governments, CSO/NGOs, media and academicians. Participants shared their experiences and views on existing systems, gaps, challenges, and practices; listed requirements for making international processes more inclusive; and formulated recommendations for follow-up action. The workshop produced a CSO statement on Rio+20 addressing the Tanzania Government and Rio+20 leaders.

Workshop findings and recommendations include the following:

•         The Tanzanian government did not have an independent national position for Rio+20, but subscribes to the following groups' positions: developing countries including China (G77 + China); the African Union; the East Africa Community; and Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

•         Tanzania priorities and expectations for Rio+20 included commitments for technology transfer, right to access clean and safe water, efficient energy, ability to combat natural disasters, assurance of decent/green employment,  villages/city planning, and infrastructure. These go hand in hand with emphasis on improving mechanisms for international fund access, developed countries fulfilling their commitments to developing countries, securing additional funding for emerging challenges, and strengthening institutional frameworks at national and international levels.

•         There is a need to carefully examine the concept of a green economy. Can it lead to the 'commodification of nature'?

Participants also made more general REDD+ relevant recommendations regarding civil society engagement in international policy processes, including the following:

•         For CSOs' views to reach global decision makers in processes such as Rio+20, CSOs need to  regularly participate in decision making processes from national to international levels. CSOs also need capacity building support on international issues and processes to engage effectively.

•         Achieving political will to implement international agreements requires advocacy of local and international actors, including civil society acting to hold governments accountable. Countries like Tanzania also need to look for local and domestic solutions and development models.

•         International meeting delegates should be announced publically, including in the media. There should also be a platform for more CSO engagement in discussions and preparations for international climate change processes.

   II.            Updates from the Field

REDD+ pilot project updates are submitted by project staff on a periodic, voluntary basis for information sharing at a broader level.

MCDI

Project: Combining REDD, PFM and FSC certification in South-Eastern Tanzania

Implementing organization: Mpingo Conservation and Development Initiative (MCDI)

Submitted by Glory Massao

MCDI's REDD project has refocused on fire management as its key strategy to reduce GHG emissions. A significant advantage of focusing the project on fire management is the negligible leakage expected.  In order to generate carbon offsets, the project aims to reduce both fire intensity and fire frequency in the Village Land Forest Reserves (VLFRs), focusing on fire intensity. It will be achieved with community-based fire management through early burning. The project undertook a trial early burning in two REDD+ VLFRs in early June, which encountered some challenges related to the different speeds at which the forest dries out.

In April, MCDI partnered with TFCG/MJUMTA to hold a joint stakeholder workshop to raise awareness on REDD+ and the pilot projects among regional and district leaders in Lindi Rural and Kilwa and other stakeholders. The meeting was successful and local government leaders were enthusiastic about REDD+ and the ongoing projects. Nonetheless, awareness raising on REDD+ is challenging and must be an ongoing process with community members and other stakeholders.

The project continues to face challenges in establishing signed agreements between MCDI and participating villages. The project's plan was to use REDD+ revenues to meet the costs of establishing PFM and FSC certification, including expanding these benefits to other villages, with REDD revenues in excess of these costs to go to the villages which would also benefit much more substantially from selling sustainably logged timber. Five villages initially signed the agreements, but then these were challenged politically, with the market-oriented approach being at odds with historical forms of NGO support in Tanzania. REDD is a new and conceptually difficult idea to grasp, and with volatility in the carbon markets and uncertainty over the extent of carbon savings that the project will generate, it has been impossible for MCDI to specify exactly what benefits carbon sales will bring to communities. In such a context, the early introduction of a market-oriented approach and PFM transaction cost recovery may have been a case of project over-reach. MCDI is therefore settling for a much simpler agreement of cooperation with participating villages, with benefit sharing terms to be agreed later, once communities are in a position to actually sell carbon offsets.

Other challenges facing the project include boundary conflicts and delays in receiving details of land management plans compiled by district officials.

TFCG and MJUMITA

Project: Making REDD Work for Communities and Forest Conservation in Tanzania

Implementing organizations: Tanzania Forest Conservation Group (TFCG) and MJUMITA (Community Forest Conservation Network of Tanzania)

Submitted by TFCG/MJUMITA

The Tanzania Forest Conservation Group and the Community Forest Conservation Network of Tanzania are implementing a REDD project at two sites, one in the Eastern Arc Mountains stretching from the Rubeho Mountains to the Southern Ukaguru Mountains and the other in coastal forests in Lindi Rural District in southern Tanzania.  The project is working with 36 communities to market their carbon credits generated from REDD on the voluntary carbon market. 

In order to achieve this, the project aims to generate carbon credits verified by the Voluntary Carbon Standard and the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance as these are the most rigorous and marketable verification schemes for the voluntary carbon market.   The project has made significant progress towards the development of the project design documents required for the two schemes.  In the case of VCS, we have chosen the VCS  methodology 'VM0015' as our primary guidance for greenhouse gas accounting because it is both rigorous and applicable to the conditions in the two project sites. The methodology was developed by Amazonos Sustainable Foundation and the World Bank's Biocarbon Fund. Unlike other VCS REDD methodologies, it can be applied in areas where the post-deforestation land use might include reforestation, a situation common in areas of Tanzania where shifting cultivation is practiced. The method also allows for harvesting of timber in the with-project scenario, something that may be attractive to communities in the future.  Like the majority of country proposals for REDD at the UNFCCC, VM0015 focuses on measuring and reducing gross deforestation rather than net deforestation.  We have used Landsat, PALSAR and SPOT satellite images to carry out the historical forest change analysis. As required by the methodology, we are now modeling the location of future deforestation. We have completed two models using Dinamica Ego, and Randomforest, and are currently working on a third model in Idrisi. The most accurate of the three will be used to predict the location of future deforestation in the without project scenario.

On the ground, the project teams have been continuing with REDD readiness activities including village land use planning; establishing participatory forest management; developing REDD by-laws in the 36 villages;  and making trial payments.  As part of our commitment to assist communities to improve agricultural practices, our agricultural officers have been providing training to farmers to reduce crop losses from crop raiding animals, one of the most pressing problems identified by farmers in our project areas.

TaTEDO

Pilot Project: Community-Based REDD Mechanisms for Sustainable Forest Management in Semi-Arid Areas

Implementing organization: Tanzania Traditional Energy Development and Environment Organization (TaTEDO) in partnership with DASS, NAFRAC, and District Councils of Kahama and Shinyanga Rural.

Updated submitted by project staff

Project interventions are focusing on integrating REDD+ with the indigenous agro-pastoralist system called "Ngitili", a traditional method in Tanzania for natural forest regeneration in privately held land plots ranging in size from 10-200h. Ngitilis can belong to households, institutions such as schools, or a village (a community ngitili). The project is being implemented in 11 villages of Shinyanga Region. Twenty-five to 30 ngitilis from each of the 11 villages are included in the project. To aggregate and sell their carbon, Ngitili owners have been facilitated in forming 'Ngitili Groups' comprised of about 25 to 30 members at the village level and apex 'Ngitili Associations', comprised of Ngitili Groups at the Regional level. The project will train ngitili groups and association on different methods and approaches for managing and packing carbon for different market requirements. Ngitili owners and ngitili groups will play a role in managing their forest resources, carbon monitoring and reporting on stock changes whereas the Ngitili association will be responsible in marketing CERs while also ensuring compliance with voluntary carbon standards.

Ngitili owners and other stakeholders have decided to share benefits under the following distribution arrangement among the local REDD+ contributors: ngitili owners (83%), village government (7%), ngitili group (5%), SunguSungu (local militia) that patrols ngitilis (3%), and Ngitili Association (2%). The 83% of funds will be distributed among the individual ngitili owners based on management and performance criteria, including: relative contribution (amount of carbon in their ngitili); size of the ngitili; effort made to implement the ngitili management plan, as well as management plans for surrounding lands and resources, including tree planting and woodlot establishment; use of efficient woodfuel stoves and alternative energy; adoption of improved agricultural practice; and sustainable livestock management practices in and around Ngitilis.

While only Ngitili owners and others who have directly contributed to the management and security of ngitilis under the TaTEDO facilitated project receive cash carbon payments, all other community members have access to project co-benefits, such as training,  access to renewable energy (fuel efficient stoves and solar lamps)  and agricultural inputs.

Prior to testing of the benefit sharing mechanism developed by the communities, a safeguard framework was developed and safeguards awareness raising was conducted among the communities.  Issues of transparency, equity, proper use of the REDD funds, etc. were highlighted.  A participatory safeguards and good practice monitoring plan was developed to monitor adherence, use of funds and impacts in the communities. In June this year the project started testing of the benefit sharing mechanism. Approximately 83.9 million Tanzania Shillings were distributed to beneficiaries in the 11 villages according to the above described plan. Communities welcomed the benefits and now realize that REDD+ is a reality and can make an impact on their lives.

WCS REDD READNESS IN SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS OF TANZANIA

Project: REDD Readiness in Southwest Tanzania

Implementing organization: World Conservation Society (WCS)

Source: Adapted from WCS 2012 'Report to Royal Norwegian Embassy on activities conducted between July ‐ December 2011 under SHCP'S REDD Readiness Project'

The project's second year (2011 - 2012) focused on the following areas:

Supporting knowledge management, including updating and maintaining a GIS server with project information, and an outreach website to share information and encourage the active participation of institutional partners.

Undertaking vegetation and forest condition sampling to determine the carbon content of the forests and surrounding areas, as well as the present levels of forest degradation from anthropogenic activities. The sampling process was carried out by WCS staff and 42 community members (Participatory Carbon Monitors, PCMs) across 21 villages. PCMs in each participating village were selected by village leaders, the Village Environmental Committees (VECs) and the village chief, taking gender considerations into account. PCMs received training in forest biomass and biodiversity measurement, species determination (and its relation to indigenous systems), and the use of field measuring equipment. All sampling data have been entered into a database for further analysis.

Performing forest resource and carbon usage surveys to quantify household fuel wood and timber consumption in 28 villages surrounding REDD pilot forests, and the impact of this consumption on forest degradation. Initial findings indicate that the level of dependence on forests and the uses for indigenous trees vary considerably from village to village. People's use of forests for fuel wood, fodder, medicine, fruit, building materials, and/or household items varies by area –. The relative reliance on the forest, and the significance of retaining important trees and planting new indigenous species also vary by village. At the village level, men showed greater interest in tree planting. Women were less confident that tree planting would actually benefit them, since in Nyakyusa/Safwa customs land is perceived to be owned by men.

Data analysis, including through diverse carbon analysis methods, historical demographic profiles of villages, current and historical land cover maps development from remote sensing imagery with accuracy assessment, and training on Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR) data processing and landcover change modeling.

Indigenous reforestation, including establishing indigenous tree nurseries in two districts (Rungwe and Mbeya Rural) and one municipality (Sumbawanga). A total of 213,000 seedlings are in these nurseries waiting to be planted in identified reforestation areas, schools and villages. Project partners are developing reforestation plans for each area, including a monitoring plan and baselines.  Reforestation in target areas, including Nditu, has already been conducted by 30 local community members selected by the VECs in collaboration with the District Natural Resource Officer and other district officials. Carbon inventory of the reforestation areas will be performed prior to planting, and again at 5 year intervals, to establish the carbon benefit of replanting.

Establishing and expanding the Mt. Rungwe Honey scheme, including performing a local honey market analysis; developing a small scale honey production, marketing, and monitoring plan; identifying and training honey producers; and providing materials and support in production and sales. The scheme was introduced through in-depth meetings with village government councils and village environmental committees. The VECs were key stakeholders, and assisted the formation of village beekeeping groups by compiling lists of local honey collectors and other key stakeholders, including women's groups, traditional leaders, and other community members. The honey production scheme was established through six working groups in three villages, with a total of 120 hives. In December 2011, Kibisi village groups made their first harvest, which yielded 50 litres of honey. Each litre was sold at 7,000 Tsh, yielding a total of 350,000 Tsh. Each group is expected to harvest 8 to 10 litres from each hive, depending on the availability of pollen. From the next harvesting season, new, smaller packaging will enable the groups to sell honey at better prices and will give more opportunity to supply honey to hotels and supermarkets.

Environmental education, including ensuring that local curriculum contains relevant environmental components and providing education to target groups in all key villages. REDD+ awareness programmes are being run in secondary schools, primary schools and villages, using audience appropriate media including diagrams and films followed by question and answer sessions. Participants were also asked for their inputs on how they think REDD+ can benefit them, and their suggestions on how to make it work more effectively.

Fire monitoring, including historical analysis of fire outbreaks in and around the target forests. A near real time alert system with an SMS alert component was tested. The original fire management plan was to establish a remote detection system with adjacent village residents to be informed through SMS. Analysis reveals that this system does not work sufficiently, including because some forest floor fires cannot be easily detected by satellite and are more easily detected by village observers. Fire management going forward will fully involve community members, e.g., in avoiding, detecting, reporting and extinguishing fires.

Ongoing challenges to the project include the unclear and disputed forest reserve and nature reserve boundaries. Project partners continue to work to clarify these. Another challenge is that community interest in participating in the honey scheme has exceeded the programme's capacity, though there are plans to expand the scheme to other villages once the pilot is fully established.

III.            Highlights from Abroad

REDD+ at the Bonn Climate Change Conference (May 2012)

From 14 – 25 May, there were several important meetings held in Bonn, Germany, including: The 36th sessions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), the 15th session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA), the 17th session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP) and the first session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP).

REDD+ related negotiations covered long term finance (under AWG-LCA), and methodological issues about forest monitoring, deforestation and degradation drivers, and reporting on social and environmental safeguards (under SBSTA, draft conclusions document FCCC/SBSTA/2012/L.9/Rev.1 available here). As summarized by Kate Dooley (EU Forest Watch Special Report), "no progress was made on the critical issue of international drivers of deforestation, and discussions on further guidance for reporting on safeguards were once again postponed. Much time was spent negotiating methodologies for measuring forest carbon, while discussions on finance revealed disagreement about the source of such finance and the definition of performance and results for REDD+."

REDD+ at Rio+20?

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) (Rio+20) took place in Brazil the 20^th -22^nd June.  This marked the 20th anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) and the 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD).

REDD+ was relevant to both of the two main Conference themes: (a) a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication; and (b) the institutional framework for sustainable development. Yet forests and REDD+ were given relatively little focus at Rio+20. For example, they were not among the specific priority areas highlighted in conference preparations (decent jobs, energy, sustainable cities, food security and sustainable agriculture, water, oceans and disaster readiness), despite having important links to several of these issue areas. (Though forests were mentioned in issues briefing on food security and green jobs). Some recognition of forest and climate change issues were included in the Outcomes Document, including an explicit mention of REDD+, but the concrete commitments are weak (see below).

CIFOR Conference 'Forests: The 8th Roundtable at Rio+20'

Adapted from CIFOR event description and agenda here.

To promote inclusion of forests in the Rio+20 agenda, CIFOR coordinated Forests: The 8th Roundtable at Rio+20. Panelists discussed new research findings and remaining knowledge gaps, and their policy implications for integrating forests into the solutions to four key challenges for progress toward a green economy: energy, food and income, water, and climate. This included discussion on whether REDD+ really is the best mechanism to promote sustainable land management, despite the tremendous global expectations that it will be able to achieve emissions reductions, sustainable development, and tenure reform.

REDD+ relevant Voluntary Commitments under Rio+20

Rio+20 participants and stakeholders – including businesses, civil society organizations, academic institutions, philanthropic organizations, UN entities, and Member States - were encouraged to make voluntary commitments to deliver concrete results for sustainable development. The over 700 commitments submitted to date include:

•         Climate change, forests, and biodiversity related commitments, such as: supporting global and national efforts to realize the full range of benefits that forests can offer under REDD+ (UN-REDD programme); adapting forest policies to climate change in the Middle East and North Africa region for optimizing the sustainable provision of Mediterranean forests goods and services for populations; and commitments to increase planting and tree cover, including from Mauritius and an international schools initiative.

•         Food security and sustainable agriculture related commitments, such as deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate, food and development for a sustainable future; and promoting better management of soils in Africa, including understanding of soil carbon.

•         Gender equality and women's empowerment related commitments, such as: accelerating progress on economic empowerment of rural women in the context of sustainable development; supporting women's leadership in sustainable agriculture and forestry initiatives, including within Africa; creating, upgrading and or supporting 5000 women-owned green economy businesses in Africa; and promoting green, inclusive production chains managed by women entrepreneurs in rural areas.

IV.            Resources