© FAO Zimbabwe
COMMUNITY BASED FIRE MANAGEMENT FOR ENHANCING FOREST HEALTH AND VITALITY
September 2019
SDGs:
Countries: Zimbabwe
Project Codes: TCP/ZIM/3604
FAO Contribution USD 118 000
Duration: 1 February 2018 – 30 June 2019
Contact Info: FAO Representation in Zimbabwe [email protected] COMMUNITY BASED FIRE MANAGEMENT FOR TCP/ZIM/3604 ENHANCING FOREST HEALTH AND VITALITY
Implementing Partners The problem of fires in Zimbabwe can be linked to Environmental Management Agency (EMA), Forestry institutional, attitudinal and enforcement issues. A lack of Commission (FC), Ministry of Environment, Tourism and involvement on the part of certain key actors in the Hospitality Industry, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, formulation, implementation and monitoring and Climate and Rural Resettlement. evaluation of fire activities, as well as a lack of a sense of responsibility for forests and landscapes in the vicinity Beneficiaries of local populations, result in insufficient protection of Vulnerable populations in the Mutasa, Lupane and these forests, landscapes and biodiversity. Bulilima districts; Communities in the project areas, Forests and grazing lands are transboundary in nature. At Government ministries and departments; Consumers. the community level, they are shared by one or more Country Programming Framework (CPF) Outputs villages, making the need for coordination necessary when Priority C: Improved preparedness for effective and it comes to fire-related management issues. In addition to gender-sensitive response to agriculture, food and issues of coordination, there are also problems regarding nutrition threats and emergencies. resources and knowledge of firefighting. Government efforts to reduce the impacts of fire on natural ecosystems started with the launch of the National Fire Protection Strategy (NFPS) in 2006, which aimed to reduce incidences of uncontrolled veld fires and the environmental damage associated with them. In support of the fire protection strategy, FAO and the Forestry Commission (FC) implemented a pilot Community Based Fire Management (CBFiM) project in five districts of Matabeleland North and five districts of Manicaland in 2008, focusing on early season prescribed burning, fire awareness and fire ©FAO/Olivier Asselin suppression. This resulted in an 80 percent reduction in BACKGROUND fire incidences across project areas. In addition, in 2014, FAO and its partners launched the Forest Forces Project Between 1990 and 2010, about 6 540 000 hectares of (FFP), funded by the European Union and FAO in eight national forest cover in Zimbabwe was lost or converted. districts of Zimbabwe. The loss of this forest land has direct impacts on the The NFPS, the pilot CBFiM project and the FFP laid the livelihoods of rural communities through declining groundwork for this Technical Cooperation Project to supplies of firewood, timber and non-wood forest continue to work towards improving the fire situation in products. Deforestation and forest degradation also the Mutasa, Lupane and Bulilima districts of Zimbabwe. indirectly affect water availability, biodiversity and soil This improvement was supported by strengthening the fertility. One contributor to the loss of forest land in capacities of communities and institutional frameworks for Zimbabwe is fires. In 2005 alone, more than 250 000 ha of fire management to minimize wildfires, promoting indigenous forests and 10 000 hectares of pine plantations sustainable natural resource management and increasing were destroyed, which resulted in animal deaths and farm diversity through the management of trees outside forced migration in the natural forests, and a loss of forests (TOF). In responding to the need for a harmonized two-and-a-half rotation years in plantations. The resulting local institutional framework, this project also enabled erratic log supply and shortages proved to be a lasting the establishment of appropriate fire management issue. guidelines across neighbouring communities through Outbreaks of wildfires continue to remain a problem, the engagement of local leadership. Furthermore, it owing to the uncoordinated setting of veld fires. These assisted in identifying multipurpose trees (including fruit fires can have an adverse impact on communities and the trees), technologies and best practices suited to the three sustainability of natural resources, which affects rural food districts to support the diversification of food sources and security and the availability of fuelwood, as well as promote resilience. livelihoods and public health. Wildfires can also increase©FAO poverty and weaken people’s resilience to climate change.
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The overall objective was to improve rural livelihoods and After raising the awareness of fire management, capacities increase community resilience in the targeted districts in in this area were developed further through training Zimbabwe through community fire and forest sessions. The first session trained farmers on basic fire management. To achieve this, the project reviewed fire management and protective equipment, which included management and communication strategies, enhanced knapsack sprayers, shovels, fire beaters and other institutions and community capacity to manage fires, protective gear. Another session trained participants on promoted active management of TOF, including how to use locally available material to fight fires. A maintenance of forest health and vitality, and monitored workshop in Mutasa on making and using firefighting and reported on project activities. equipment had an initial target of 40 participants; however, a total of 54 community members attended, ©FAO Ethiopia IMPACT therefore surpassing the initial goal. Participants were asked to return to their villages and reiterate the training The project was designed to support a collaborative and there to pass along the knowledge gained to as many of comprehensive approach to both fire and TOF their community members as possible. Fire management management among stakeholders in three districts of plans were developed at six sites and the communities Zimbabwe. The capacity building activities aimed to were trained on how to implement the activities set out increase the level of knowledge of firefighting practices in the plans. Assessments to determine the effectiveness and equipment, as well as the management of TOF. The of these training sessions and the implementation of the planting of fruit trees in nurseries was expected to boost plans were expected to be carried out when resources local livelihoods and diversify food sources. Together, permitted. the improved management of fires and TOF will contribute Training events at community level aimed to further to increasing rural livelihoods and resilience in the project increase awareness on fire management. Villages and area. households were trained in pre-suppression and ACHIEVEMENT OF RESULTS suppression activities. Lead farmers, who were members of fire management committees, participated in fire Officials from the government, the private sector and civil awareness meetings in each of the three target districts. society organizations participated in workshops on Educational materials, including posters and pamphlets, improved awareness of fire management both at the were developed on the CBFiM manual. These materials regional and national level. A consultant was hired to were produced in English, as well as Shona and Ndebele, conduct desk studies and stakeholder consultations, and making them accessible to speakers of local languages. then prepare a review report, which was shared during the Ten-minute radio programmes on fire management were workshops. These workshops reported good attendance also developed and broadcast once a week for ten weeks overall, with 70 percent of targeted participants attending during fire season. The programmes were also in Shona the regional workshops and 96 percent attending the and Ndebele. The FC and EMA summarized experiences national workshops. The outcomes of the review process surrounding fires in the target districts, and they were were synthesized and disseminated to the minister of discussed during the workshops to allow for the environment, water and climate. identification of areas for improvement. A report on fire experiences in Zimbabwe as a whole was also produced and disseminated to stakeholders. National Fire Week was commemorated through the distribution of materials to ©FAO communities in the project area.
©FAO/P. Lowrey
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Improved management of TOF was also an objective of the IMPLEMENTATION OF WORK PLAN project. The achievement of this Output began with All of the activities were implemented within the planned awareness raising meetings on the importance of TOF in budget. A few issues with timing were experienced, both the Mutasa district. Agroforestry awareness materials in procurement and in the execution of activities, owing were developed, produced, translated and distributed to to the above-mentioned security concerns during the stakeholders, and they covered topics such as starting an election period. Fortunately, two no-cost extensions were agroforestry nursery project, agroforestry for sustainable granted, which allowed for the project activities to livelihoods, trees for fodder, agroforestry and bees, and continue. transplanting trees. Demonstration plots were created at As was also briefly noted above, assessments to determine two sites in each district. In the Bulilima district, four the effectiveness and level of application of some of the additional plots were established at village level. Farmer fire management training sessions (namely, the session on field schools were also established at the demonstration making fire beaters and the training on pre-suppression plots. At these field schools, farmers were trained in fruit and suppression activities) and the fire management plans tree production and tree planting. Seedling production (specifically, their level of operationalization) were not was also covered and supported with polythene pockets carried out. This project worked closely with the FC and and fencing materials. Seedlings themselves were Agricultural Technical and Extension Services (AGRITEX) in purchased and distributed at the ten demonstration sites. all three districts, and it is expected that the two In addition, grafting knives, nails, posts, droppers, institutions will make time to follow up on the activities diamond mesh wire and barbed wire were also procured started under the project. and delivered. To further capacitate stakeholders in There was a delay in the planting of the fruit trees owing protecting TOF, training on pre-suppression, suppression to the delayed delivery of seedlings by the supplier, which and post-suppression was conducted at community level. resulted in some trees being planted well after the rainy The training sessions included methods of reducing fuel season. This was a challenge for areas in the drier parts of loads, making fire guards, monitoring fires, preparedness the country, where sources of water are distant from and firefighting. The FAO CBFiM manual was used for this the nurseries, and it caused some of the trees to die. training. Resource limitations affected the timely production of The final activities that were carried out aimed to enhance monthly and quarterly progress reports, as was previously project monitoring and reporting. The first activity mentioned. Because of this, monitoring visits to the pertained to community-based fire Management Oriented project sites were not carried out. Progress reports for this Monitoring Systems (MOMS), which had been established project were included in the FFP reports. Back to office as part of the FFP. There were some issues with monthly reports were prepared for each mission. The midterm and quarterly reporting, owing to limited resources. review and related workshop were not conducted, owing Another project activity which was hindered was the to the suspension of missions during the period midterm review process and associated report. This was surrounding the general elections. The workshops on fire caused by the suspension of missions in the country, management methods in Bulilima and Lupine were also which came about due to security concerns surrounding postponed for the same reason, but were eventually the general elections in Zimbabwe. The end of project carried out in October 2018. evaluation was carried out fully and in a timely manner. FOLLOW-UP FOR GOVERNMENT ATTENTION
It is recommended that resources be mobilized in order to carry out the post-activity assessments, which are expected to determine how effective the training sessions were. The stakeholders also require support from extension staff until the trees in the nurseries start bearing fruit. At the time of project closure, the government had committed to allocating funds for promoting agroforestry. As this has yet to be realized, it is an area that is ©FAO/Simon Maina recommended for follow-up.
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4. Human Rights-based Approach (HRBA) – in particular Right to Food and Decent Work Community members were encouraged to participate as groups and as households to ensure cohesion and continuity in participation when one of the family members was away and could not attend. Women were encouraged to plant vegetables in the nurseries, thus mainstreaming nutrition in agroforestry. By teaching ©FAO/P. Johnson participants how to establish nurseries, they had the opportunity to start earning some income before their SUSTAINABILITY trees could bear fruit. Community members were also 1. Capacity development supported with protective clothing to wear during Alliances between FAO and the government of Zimbabwe firefighting. were strengthened during the project, as were alliances 5. Technological sustainability between the government departments that participated. The project taught community members to make fire From the start, the government departments in the beaters from locally available materials. The capacity of targeted districts were given the responsibility of local extension staff to manage fires and to involve implementing project activities, and they were required to community members in coming up with solutions (using report on them monthly. Supervisors working with the local knowledge, capacity and resources) to their communities were also involved to ensure that they challenges was strengthened, which is expected to monitored and provided support to the extension staff contribute to sustainability in this area. whenever needed. Capacities were developed at the national and sub-national fire management and 6. Economic sustainability communication strategies workshops, the training session The project procured trees for the community nurseries. on basic fire management and protective equipment for Stakeholders were trained on how to establish these farmers, the training for communities on how to nurseries and how to bud the trees. This should assist in implement the fire management plans, the awareness- expanding food sources, increasing livelihoods and doing raising sessions, the training for farmers on propagating away with the need to purchase trees. The government fruit and multipurpose trees and the community training following through with its commitment to allocating funds on pre-suppression, suppression, and post-suppression to support agroforestry will also contribute to the activities to protect trees outside forests. economic sustainability of the project. 2. Gender equality In some areas, to encourage participation and commitment to the project, trees were distributed to groups to plant in the demonstration plots. The project achieved its goal of having 30 percent of participants be women. Their participation was encouraged through the promotion of vegetable production in the agroforestry plots, especially in the Lupane district. Women made up the majority in most of the nurseries and were responsible for nurturing the seeds. In addition, the other minor crops grown in the nurseries, like cowpeas and butternut squash, were tended by women. 3. Environmental sustainability There was minimal use of wood poles for fencing. Trees were harvested responsibly when they were used to train communities on locally available materials to make fire beaters. ©FAO
TCP T ERMINAL R EPORT 4 COMMUNITY BASED FIRE MANAGEMENT FOR TCP/ZIM/3604 ENHANCING FOREST HEALTH AND VITALITY
DOCUMENTS AND OUTREACH PRODUCTS Outreach products Fire Management Documents ABC and 4 Ds on Fire (A3 Poster). J Tsumele. End of Consultancy Report. D Mwenye. July 2018. 10 pp. Children, Please Help Prevent Fires (A3 poster in English, Shona and Ndebele). J Tsumele. Case Studies from the Agroforestry workshops in Mutasa District and Manicaland Province. D Mwenye, How Communal Farmers Can Prevent Forest Fires M Phiri. Harare, November 2018. 4 pp. (A3 poster in English, Shona and Ndebele). J Tsumele. Brief to the Minister of Environment, Water and Seven Easy Steps to Fire Free Forests (A3 poster in Climate on Proceedings of Provincial and National English, Shona and Ndebele). J Tsumele. Consultative workshops: Fire management and Agroforestry Communication Strategies in Zimbabwe. Harare, Agroforestry and Bees (brochure). D Mwenye. 4 pp. 2018. 5 pp. Agroforestry for Sustainable Livelihoods (brochure). Proceedings of the National Consultative workshop on D Mwenye. 4 pp. fire management in Zimbabwe. J Mudekwe. Harare, 2018. 14 pp. Ten Point Plan on Starting Agroforestry Nursery Project (A3 poster). Review of Fire Management and Communication Strategies in Zimbabwe: Proceedings of Provincial Fire Transplanting Fruit Trees (A4 pamphlet). Management workshops. J Mudekwe. Harare, 2018. Trees for Fodder (brochure). D Mwenye. 4 pp. 10 pp.
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ACHIEVEMENT OF RESULTS - LOGICAL FRAMEWORK
Expected Improved rural livelihoods and increased community resilience in Zimbabwe through community fire and Impact forest management Enhanced uptake of participatory fire management approaches and best practices for managing TOF by communities – Reduced incidents of fires Indicator – Number of new practices used by communities to manage trees outside forests – 0 Baseline – 0 Outcome – 40 percent End Target – Five practices Comments – Fire season had just begun at the time this project ended. The implementing partners (EMA and follow-up and FC) will compile reports on fire incidents after fire season. action to be – Implementing partner FC will prepare reports on the practices used. taken
Improved awareness of fire management by stakeholders
Indicators Target Achieved Output 1 Review report on fire management and communication strategies validated and available proportion of stakeholders who are aware of fire management 75 percent Yes increased Baseline 30 percent Regional fire management consultative workshops were held in the Manicaland, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces and 70 percent attendance (out of 180 targeted participants) was recorded due to delayed logistical arrangements. The national fire management consultative workshop, however, recorded Comments 96 percent attendance (out of 240 targeted participants). Officials from government, private sector and civil society organizations participated during these workshops. The national workshop on fire management was held to validate outcomes of the regional workshops and 96 percent participation (25 out of the targeted 26 participants) was recorded. Engage a consultant to review the fire management and communication strategies Achieved Yes Activity 1.1 A consultant conducted desk studies and stakeholder consultations and prepared a review Comments report, which was shared during review workshops. Organize review workshops at national and sub-national levels on the fire management and communication strategies Achieved Yes Activity 1.2 One workshop was held at national level and one was held in each of the three target districts. Comments Participation in one of the districts was below target due to some logistical problems that were rectified before holding the remaining workshops in the other two districts. Synthesize outcomes of the review process for submission to government and produce a brief on fire management Activity 1.3 Achieved Yes A briefing for the minister of environment, water and climate on the Proceedings of Provincial Comments and National Consultative Workshops on Fire Management was prepared.
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Increased capacity of communities on fire management
Indicators Target Achieved Output 2 – Proportion of trained households making fire beaters – 80 percent – Partially – Number of committees trained in fire management methods – 27 – Yes – Number of fire management plans operational – 6 – Partially – 0 Baseline – 3 – 3 – An assessment was not conducted at project end. The FC will conduct an assessment when resources permit. – One workshop was held for the Mutasa district and 54 community members participated, over and above the targeted 40 participants. The workshops for Bulilima and Lupane were initially suspended due to general elections. The training workshops included aspects of using of locally available material for firefighting, Comments including moistened heavy-duty sacks, which could be tied to a stick and used to fight fire. The trained community members were asked to echo the training in their respective villages. – Plans were developed at the six sites, however, an assessment is still to be conducted by the FC to determine the level of operationalization of the plans. Procure basic fire management and protective equipment and train farmers on use Achieved Yes Activity 2.1 Basic fire equipment (knapsack sprayers, shovels, fire beaters, protective gear) was procured Comments and farmers were trained on how to use it for effective firefighting. Train communities to make and use local firefighting equipment Achieved Yes Activity 2.2 Communities were trained to make fire beaters using local wood and old tyres, wet jute bags Comments and old wet denim clothing for firefighting. Train communities in implementation of provisions of the fire management plans Achieved Partially Activity 2.3 Communities were trained on how to implement activities set out in the fire management Comments plans, however, an assessment was not conducted to ascertain the application of what was learnt.
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Increased community awareness on participatory fire management
Indicators Target Achieved Output 3 – Number of villages participating in pre-suppression and suppression activities – 22 – Partially – Proportion of households implementing fire pre-suppression and – 60 percent – Unknown suppression activities – 5 Baseline – 20 – This will be confirmed through an assessment Comments – The exact number of households will be determined through an assessment by FC Fire awareness meetings held at district level Achieved Yes Activity 3.1 Awareness meetings were held in the three target districts and lead farmers who are members Comments of fire management committees were among the participants. Develop and distribute Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials in vernacular Achieved Yes Posters and pamphlets were developed based on the manual on CBFiM, and they were translated into local languages (Shona and Ndebele). Content on fire awareness was developed Activity 3.2 for distribution through weekly, ten minute radio programmes for ten consecutive weeks Comments during the fire season ending in August. The programmes were in Shona and Ndebele and covered fire management. Posters, brochures and pamphlets on fire management were also developed in English, Shona and Ndebele and two local languages for distribution in the target districts. Document and disseminate fire experiences in Zimbabwe Achieved Yes Implementing partners FC and EMA summarized fire experiences from the project areas and Activity 3.3 these were discussed during the district workshops to identify gaps and possible improvements Comments for effective fire management. A report on fire experiences in Zimbabwe was also produced and shared with stakeholders. Commemorate national fire week Achieved Yes Activity 3.4 Communities in the target districts were supported to commemorate fire week. Materials were Comments distributed to the target districts for use during the 2019 national fire week commemorations. Raise awareness through mass media and ICT Activity 3.5 Achieved Yes Comments Content was developed for radio programmes for broadcast during fire season.
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Improved management of TOF
Indicators Target Achieved Output 4 – Number of agroforestry demonstration plots (farmer field schools) – 9 – Yes established and operational – 3 – Yes – Number of measures for managing TOF implemented – 0 Baseline – 0 – A total of ten agroforestry demonstration plots were identified by farmers together with local AGRITEX extension officers and forestry officers at centralized nurseries. The plots are in Mutasa (two), Lupane (two) and Bulilima (six). Seedlings for a variety of fruit trees (peach, naartijee, mango, avocado and pear), fencing Comments material and budding knives were procured and delivered to the respective sites. – Farmers were trained on how to start an agroforestry project, including growing trees for fodder and how to transplant trees. Conduct community awareness meetings Achieved Yes Activity 4.1 Two meetings were held at nurseries in the Mutasa district to create awareness on the Comments importance of trees on farms. The meetings were used as agroforestry case studies. Develop, produce, translate, and distribute agroforestry awareness materials Achieved Yes Agroforestry awareness materials were produced for distribution to stakeholders. These Activity 4.2 included a poster entitled Ten Point Plan on Starting Agroforestry Nursery Project, brochures Comments entitled Agroforestry for Sustainable Livelihoods, Trees for Fodder and Agroforestry and Bees, and a pamphlet entitled Transplanting Trees. Establish agroforestry demonstration plots at centralized nurseries Achieved Yes Activity 4.3 Two agroforestry nurseries were established per district. In one of the districts, four Comments demonstration plots were also established at village level to ensure ownership. Identify and establish farmer field schools and/or farm demonstration plots (two per district) Achieved Yes Activity 4.4 The farmer field schools and/or demonstration plots were established as an extension of area Comments nurseries, and in other areas, standalone demonstration plots were established. Train farmers in propagation of fruit and multipurpose trees Achieved Yes Farmers at two demonstration sites, one led by a woman and the other a man, were trained in Activity 4.5 fruit tree production and tree planting. Support was also provided for seedling production in all Comments project areas for orchard species and agroforestry trees, such as multipurpose and indigenous fruit trees. Production of seedlings was supported with polythene pockets and fencing materials (for expansion) in the three districts. Purchase and distribute seedling production materials Achieved Yes Activity 4.6 576 seedlings, 18 grafting knives, 6 kg of U nails, 36 standard posts, 36 straining posts, Comments 36 droppers, 42X30m diamond mesh wire and 6X50kg of barbed wire were purchased and distributed at the 10 demonstration sites. Train community structures on pre-suppression, suppression and post-suppression activities to protect trees outside forests Achieved Yes Activity 4.7 Communities were trained in methods of reducing fuel load, fire guard making, fire monitoring, Comments preparedness and actual firefighting. This was achieved through the use of the FAO CBFiM training manual.
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Enhanced project monitoring and reporting
Output 5 Indicators Target Achieved – MOMS established and operational in three districts – 1 – Yes – Monthly, quarterly and end of project evaluation reports available – 12 – Partially – 0 Baseline – 0 – It was observed that MOMS had been adequately covered under the main FFP, so it was a question of Comments revisiting what the farmers had already done. New training was not required. – Nine progress reports and back to office reports are available. Establish community based fire Management Oriented Monitoring Systems (MOMS) Achieved Yes Activity 5.1 Field staff and community members were trained in designing a monitoring process that Comments includes data collection, recording and analysing with minimal support from external assistance. Timely produce monthly progress reports Achieved Partially Activity 5.2 There was no consistency in submitting monthly progress reports as implementing partners had Comments limited resources to conduct monitoring visits. Timely produce quarterly progress reports Achieved No Activity 5.3 Implementing partners, had resource limitations for monitoring purposes and this affected Comments production of quarterly reports. Timely conduct project midterm review and review workshop Achieved No Activity 5.4 The activity was not conducted because project activities were suspended as a result of the Comments general elections. Timely conduct end of project evaluation Activity 5.5 Achieved Yes Comments The project evaluation was conducted before the end of the project.
10 Outreach, Marketing and Reporting Unit (PSRR) Business Development and Resource Mobilization Division (PSR)
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