Tanzania government and UNDP fund 49 community conservation projects

The Tanzanian government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) allocated 5.2 billion Tanzanian Shillings to fund 49 environmental conservation projects across mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

The funding aims to help 6,000 people participate in protecting biodiversity, preserving water sources, and addressing the effects of climate change. These projects allow local communities to design and implement solutions that meet the specific needs of their own regions.

The initiative is part of the eighth phase of the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP). Dr. Richard Muyungi, the Permanent Secretary of the Vice President's Office, stated that the government chose to maintain its 5.2 billion Shilling contribution despite a decrease in international development funding. He noted that community-led conservation activities are more likely to last because they address actual local needs.

He cited a water project at the Mgana Catholic Church Parish as an example of a durable community-led initiative. The UNDP and the government selected 49 institutions from over 800 applications received for this phase. The current strategy, which runs until 2028, prioritizes the Serengeti ecology, central Tanzania regions like Dodoma, and the Jozani Zanzibar ecology. However, 30 percent of the program resources are reserved for projects outside these primary areas.