MINISTRY OF STATE IN THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT MARA WETLANDS INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PLAN THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA MINISTRY OF STATE IN THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT MARA REGIONAL COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE MARA WETLANDS INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PLAN 2018 – 2022 In Partnership with JANUARY 2018 FOREWORD II REGIONAL COMMISSIONER The Mara River Basin is an important transboundary we are facing within the Mara River Basin. We are water resource supporting over One million people also happy to say that this Integrated Management and important ecosystems including the Serengeti Plan for the Mara Wetlands in Tanzania has been National Park, a world tourism destination and developed through a participatory process with recently named one of the New Seven Wonders of the engagement of key stakeholders. It therefore the World. The Mara Wetlands plays an important reflects the true aspiration of the wetlands and role in communities’ socio-economics and in its people. It is my sincere hope that the IMP sustaining ecosystem processes in the Lake Victoria will provide a framework for action that will stir Basin. With ecosystem services valued at over USD conservation, development and economic gain five million, the Mara Wetlands has the potential to from the Mara region. support local livelihoods and increase income from I want to express my sincere thanks to United agriculture, water, livestock, fisheries, tourism and States Agency for International Development non-timber forest products. (USAID) through the Planning for Resilience in Currently, the Mara Wetlands faces several East Africa through Policy, Adaptation, Research challenges, including the proliferation of plans and Economic Development (PREPARED) project to develop dams in the basin, planned intra- for funding development of this Plan. Special basin water transfers in the upper catchments, thanks and acknowledgement goes to BirdLife unsustainable land management coupled with International and the Delft-IHE team for facilitating climate change that will continue to present a this extensive and participatory process and all key major drawback for communities living within stakeholders who participated in the process. the Mara River Basin. I therefore call for support and collaboration in the implementation of this IMP and welcome donors, We are happy to have developed the Integrated development partners and private sector investors Management Plan (IMP) for the Mara Wetlands, to provide this support. which is not a stand-alone document but one that provides a roadmap for all stakeholders, including communities, technical experts, nongovernmental organizations and governments on how we can Regional Commissioner work together to resolve some of the challenges Mara, Tanzania III REGIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY The Mara Wetlands Integrated Management resources management in the basin and livelihood Plan has been developed at the right time development by building blocks and protocols for amidst the ongoing challenges of overstocking enabling local and transboundary collaboration. and overgrazing, deforestation, pollution, The Regional Administrative Office of Mara is unsustainable land use changes, climate change happy to have engaged in the development of and limited resources to support management and the IMP. As its rudimentary custodian, we will be conservation of natural resources and to support working together with the Butiama, Rorya and community development in the Mara region. Tarime districts to support its implementation. We Integrated water resource management should thank the United States Agency for International be recognized at the highest level of decision- Development (USAID) through the Planning for making because of its importance to food security, Resilience in East Africa through Policy, Adaptation, ecosystem services, health, economic development Research and Economic Development (PREPARED) and local livelihoods. Transboundary river basins project, BirdLife International and Delft-IHE for undergo rapid changes, both physically and enabling the process. I also acknowledge the role economically, therefore it is important to enhance of the National Environment Management Council cooperation and dialogue on their management. (NEMC) for chairing the Interagency Technical Moreover, formation of a basin-wide committee Committee (IATC) together with all district will also support collaboration and sustainable participants. Finally, I welcome all stakeholders, management of the Mara River Basin for the including government, development partners, benefit of communities and nature. national and international donor organizations and private sector in supporting implementation of The successful management of water resources in the IMP as one way of contributing to sustainable the Mara River Basin and Mara Wetlands requires management and conservation of water resources good baseline understanding of its biodiversity, of the Mara Wetlands. ecosystem services, hydrology and their dynamics based on current and future scenarios of change. The IMP will support collective downstream and upstream action to address challenges, including Regional Administrative Secretary water demand and allocation, sustainable water Mara Region IV EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The vision of the Mara Integrated Management In meeting the overall objectives of the IMP – to Plan (IMP) is “A well conserved Mara River Wetland, promote sustainable and coordinated management managed sustainably for people and nature”. and development of the Lower Mara Basin and Achieving this vision requires maintaining and, surrounding lands, enhance public awareness on where necessary, restoring ecological structure “wise use” principles, and respond to future climate and function of the surrounding landscape. It also shocks – a strategy is needed for information requires dialogue with local and upstream users to gathering to support the IMP objectives. An adaptive ensure provision of adequate water flow, as well as management approach is required that includes control of sediment, nutrient and other pollutants, monitoring through formal and informal (citizen into the Lower Mara River and the wetlands. The science) approaches. Such information gathering vision reflects the ethos of the plan as one with needs to be relevant to the needs of the plan; local ownership and involving stakeholders in feasible and sufficiently resourced; responsive to planning and implementation. The vision reflects variability of climate and other circumstances; the consultative process used in preparing the and able to be clearly interpreted and acted upon. plan. The IMP is envisioned to guide management During the implementation of the IMP, further of the Mara Wetlands for five years, with an initial information needs will be identified. These needs preparatory phase. will form the basis of a research agenda to better This vision is in line with the Ramsar Convention inform both geo-physical and social-ecological (1971) and its vision for “wise use of wetlands”, understanding of the Lower Mara and its people and it supports the goals of wetland management to support sustainable management. and planning of the national Wetland Steering Key actions of the IMP will focus on land use and Committee representing eight ministries of the wetland management; awareness raising, capacity United Republic of Tanzania. The Mara IMP will building and governance; sustainable alternative promote wise use of the Mara Wetlands and its livelihoods; water sanitation and hygiene; and environs for improved and sustainable livelihoods. research information and data needs. As such, It will connect strongly and be compatible with the the IMP will require clear and reliant coordination objectives of the Mara River Basin Transboundary of activities and stakeholders, accompanied by an Integrated Natural Resources Plan 2016-2026 agreed and relevant communication strategy. agreed between the governments of Tanzania and Kenya. Coordination of the implementation of the IMP shall be the responsibility of the Mara Regional A key principle of the IMP is recognition that Administrative Secretary (RAS). As the lead the wetland is a dynamic habitat, whose extent organisation, the RAS office will take ownership and varies within and among years. The IMP will work to maintain and, where possible, improve the develop effective and accountable mechanisms for ecological character of the wetland over natural inclusivity and communication with a large range of climatic cycles. The overall character of the stakeholders. As provided in the Water Resources wetland is that of a papyrus swamp dominated Management Act, No. 9, 2009, the IMP Secretariat by Cyperus papyrus, with a transitional ecotone and the RAS will work closely with the Lake Victoria between aquatic and terrestrial dryland habitat Basin Water Board (LVBWB) in resolving conflicts subject to seasonal flooding that provides arising from implementation of this plan and from important grazing land and seasonal vegetable different water users and agencies. gardens, as well as important habitat for native The cost of implementing this management plan is and migratory biodiversity. estimated at TSh 13,417 million or USD 6,098,727. V TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD II EXECUTIVE SUMMARY V LIST OF TABLES VIII LIST OF FIGURES IX LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS X SECTION ONE: INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background 2 1.2 Description of the Mara Wetlands 3 Biophysical Features