iona Flintan, Senior Scientist, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) has been supporting KINNAPA and our
work on joint village lands use planning and participatory Rangeland management over the last decade.
In February 2024 Ms. Flintan joint the project team on a visit to Chalinze District Council offices and Bagamoyo District in Coast
Region (where the project is working) to reintroduce and support the smooth implementation of activities and strategise on way forward.
These activities to develop, improve and scale joint village land use planning are being supported by ILRI through the CGIAR Research
Initiative on Livestock and Climate. This work is having tangible impacts on the lives of local communities and other key stakeholders
in improving planning, Governance and Management of grazing lands. Such visits are an important towards the Livestock and Climate
Initiative fostering collaboration with key Government stakeholders and assessing project activities on the ground.
Ms. Flintan, also accompanied the Kiteto District Commissioner to the joint village land use planning ALOLLE Cluster where shared
grazing lands have been protected, to observe progress. They reviewed ongoing activities including initiatives to promote sustainable
Rangeland management practices such as bush thinning to increase Rangeland productivity.Additionally, they inspected areas designated
for bush thinning, a critical component of the project aimed at reducing environmental degradation and supporting sustainable grazing practices,
testing out methods for Rangeland restoration at scale.
These visits are important for building collaboration and government and community ownership over the processes and marks an important milestone
in the partnership between ILRI, KINNAPA, Tanzania Natural Resources Forum (TNRF) and the Tanzanian government in promoting sustainable livestock
systems and addressing climate challenges with numerous benefits for communities. With a clear plan in place and strong partnerships established,
there is no doubt that this project will make a lasting impact on the region