- Home
- About Us
- Programmes
- Success Stories
-
News & Reports
- Gallery
- Contact Us
Sustainable natural resource management and environmental conservation for pastoralist and hunter-gatherer communities
Project Started
UNDP Partnership
Land Rights Secured
Community Participation
Implementation Phase
A semi-arid district home to pastoralist and hunter-gatherer communities facing land encroachment and environmental degradation. KINNAPA's ecosystem management interventions are restoring grazing areas and cultural heritage across the district's villages.
Traditionally conserved areas managed by communities for generations. The project provides double-layered protection through Certificates of Customary Right of Occupancy (CCROs) and, where possible, official gazettement as protected areas.
The Participatory Ecosystem Management Project, implemented in Kiteto District by KINNAPA Development Programme with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), began in October 2022.
Its purpose is to improve the quality of life for pastoralists and hunter-gatherers by enhancing the management of grazing areas and conserving the environment and cultural heritage for present and future generations.
_11zon.jpg)
Building on successful community resource management initiatives, this project combines traditional knowledge with modern governance frameworks to help communities sustainably manage natural resources, particularly land and the environment.
The project also aims to provide double-layered protection to traditionally conserved areas by issuing Certificates of Customary Right of Occupancy (CCROs) and, where possible, gazetting them as official protected areas.
_11zon.webp)
What the Project Promotes
Reliable pastures, water, and wildlife protection for sustainable pastoralist livelihoods across Kiteto District.
Preserve ecological integrity through sustainable land use, conservation planning, and anti-degradation measures.
Protect traditional knowledge, customary practices, and the cultural identity of pastoralist communities.
Build community capacity to adapt to climate change and withstand environmental and livelihood challenges.
Foster inclusive decision-making, gender equality, and economic opportunities for women and youth.
Formation and strengthening of community-based groups responsible for governing and managing shared natural resources.
Community-led mapping and planning processes that capture local knowledge and define resource boundaries.
Training local leaders and groups for sustainable, long-term resource management without external dependency.
Establishing structured mechanisms for peacefully resolving disputes over land, water, and grazing areas.
Ensuring women and youth are active participants in governance and benefit from programme outcomes.
Advocating for pastoralist land rights and ecosystem protection at district and national policy levels.
_11zon.jpg)
How We Create Lasting Change
The project operates through collaborative, community-led processes that prioritise local ownership. Communities themselves drive the decisions that shape their lands and futures.
Securing CCROs and advocating for gazettement to give communities lasting legal protection of their territories.
Integrating traditional conservation knowledge with modern resource governance frameworks suited to local conditions.
Training communities to self-manage resources sustainably, reducing long-term dependency on external support.
Embedding gender and youth representation in all resource management decision-making structures.
Impact & Results
KINNAPA's Participatory Ecosystem Management work is made possible through the commitment of partners who share our vision of community-led conservation and land justice.
United Nations
Active · Since 2022Tanzania
Local Government PartnerKiteto Villages
Implementation Partners