Northern Tanzania

Empowering pastoralist, agro-pastoralist, and hunter-gatherer communities in Northern Tanzania

Group of people siting outdoors in the shade of trees smiling happily.
Ujamaa Community Resource Team Logo
Ujamaa Community Resource Team (UCRT)

In Tanzania, the Ujamaa Community Resource Team (UCRT) will work to improve the lives of pastoralist, agro-pastoralist, and hunter-gatherer communities in northern Tanzania by empowering them to sustainably manage and benefit from the natural resources on which their livelihoods depend. UCRT operates in a globally significant ecological system of rangelands extending south and east of the greater Serengeti – Ngorongoro that supports a rich diversity of wildlife and people. The initiative’s goals are to legally secure communal village lands for Indigenous communities in three key biodiverse landscapes through participatory land use planning and land tenure mechanisms, train and coach village councils and natural resource committees responsible for managing rangeland and forest resources for the areas to be sustainably managed by Indigenous governing structures, and develop sustainable natural resource-based income generating activities.

Under this initiative, ICI aims to restore 5,000 hectares of land, improve practices in 465,000 hectares of landscapes/territories (excluding protected areas), improve the management of a total area of 470,000 hectares, and engage 25,000 direct beneficiaries.

KEY ICI GOALS AND INITIATIVES

Measure the number of community institutions with improved natural resource management capacity because of project activities

Disaggregation of data by Indigenous and local governance type, e.g., Village Council, Ward Grazing Committee, WRLF

Legally securing communal village lands for Indigenous communities in three key biodiverse landscapes

Establish participatory land use planning and land tenure mechanisms

Train and coach village councils and natural resource committees responsible for managing rangeland and forest resources for the areas to be sustainably managed by Indigenous governing structures

Develop sustainable natural resource-based income generating activities.

Addressing economic power imbalances in the community

Create village saving and credit groups

Introduction To Region

Tanzania Geography Map
Country(ies):

Tanzania

Approximate area in hectars:

940,000

Indigenous Akie; Datoga; Hadzabe; Iraqw; Maasai population:

104,201

Global Biodiversity Hotspots and High Biodiversity Wilderness Areas:

Eastern Afromontane

Important Bird Areas:

Lake Natron and Engaruka basin; Yaida Chini

Biosphere Reserves:

Araucarias Biosphere Reserve (Chile)

Reserva de la Biósfera Andino Norpatagónica (Argentina)

Ramsar Sites

Lake Natron

Protected Areas/ Wildlife Management Areas/etc.:

Makame Community Wildlife Management Area

A gathering of people near a giant tree in a dry land.
Percentage of country’s land area under recognized IP or LC ownership: (Source: RRI: 2015. Who Owns the World’s Land?)

75%

Number of Land Defenders Killed 2016-2018:  (Source: Global Witness)

2

About Northern Tanzania

The Northern Tanzania rangelands represent a globally significant ecological system that supports a rich diversity of wildlife and people, including the Akie, Datoga, Hadzabe, Iraqw, and Maasai. This savanna landscape provides a vital function for wildlife, while remaining integral to the livelihoods and cultures of indigenous groups. Broadly speaking, the project area extends across critical areas of rangeland connectivity south and east of the greater Serengeti – Ngorongoro and make up the northern and southern most extents of the Tarangire – Manyara ecosystems. This area is most known for its extensive wildlife migrations including over 4,000 elephants and around 20,000 zebra and 20,000 wildebeest. The area maintains several diverse ecological features, including three large soda lakes, afro-montane forests atop Great Rift valley volcanic mountains, short grass plains and seasonal wetlands, dense woodlands and acacia forests, and riverine systems.

Indigenous economic activities:

  • Agriculture
  • Livestock
  • Non-timber Forest Products (NTFPs)
  • Tourism
  • Hunting
  • Payments for Ecosystem Services

Challenges and threats:

  • Agricultural expansion and commercialization 
  • Climate change
  • Deforestation, overgrazing, and overexploitation of wildlife and other natural resources 
  • Invasive species 
  • Human-wildlife conflict

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