Monduli is a Masai area to the north of Tanzania. The TIST programs empower subsistence farmers in the area to combat the devastating effects of poverty, food shortage, deforestation and disease by planting trees.
In planting these trees the Small Groups of farmers also produce a virtual cash crop of community forest-based carbon credits for which they receive ongoing cash payments. This income serves to augment the community benefits afforded by the program’s planting schemes which are designed to afford maximum benefit to local participants through reafforestation, agro-forestry and community lead forest resource management.
Restore Our Planet have funded two clusters of groups comprising 100 small groups are planting 440,000 trees over 3 years. It is hoped this model will be the launch platform to go into other Masai areas in Tanzania and Kenya opening the political door for significant expansion of this initiative.
Tanzania Woodlot at Monduli.
Photo: © TIST