Morogoro - Tanzania
Agroforestry
Working with local partners Agriwezesha and Reforest'Action, Maison Hennessy aims to restore a forest reserve of high ecological value, and to support local communities in developing sustainable farming practices.
2021 - 2022
Financé
The project is located in the Mvomero district, in the Morogoro region, a mountainous area that marks the transition between the great coastal plain and the Rufiji valley. The project areas are located in mountainous zones, on clay soils at high altitude, where forest cover is particularly threatened. Tens of thousands of hectares of forest are lost to cultivation every year, and national forests continue to suffer from uncontrolled logging.
Farmers from the various villages depend on agriculture for their daily livelihoods: the development of agroforestry and the planting of fruit trees (such as lemons, mandarins and oranges) in their plots will protect the underlying crops and provide additional income from the sale of tree products. In addition, these trees will have a beneficial ecological impact by improving soil quality, limiting soil erosion and preserving water resources. In the field, Agriwezesha provides day-to-day support to some 6,000 farmers in the 25 villages affected by the project, training them in tree planting and maintenance. In the long term, the adoption of these sustainable practices will help reduce the impact of agriculture on the environment and enable farmers to improve their living conditions over the long term, by marketing goods produced in a self-sufficient manner. Alongside agroforestry, the project will extend the edge of the Uluguru Forest Reserve, thus sequestering carbon, ensuring the continuity of the forest cover and preserving the natural habitats necessary for the genetic diversity and resilience of ecosystems.
Created in 2019, the NGO's mission is to help small-scale producers implement environmentally-friendly farming practices. It provides technical support to local communities throughout the process, helping them to set up nurseries and market their products. As part of the projects implemented, the NGO raises awareness among producers of the benefits of sustainable crop management methods, including agroforestry. During the various stages, beneficiaries are trained in the planting and maintenance of the trees introduced, a valuable skill in a country particularly hard hit by deforestation.
