Mradi wa Usimamizi wa Mazingira Rufiji (Rufiji Environment Management Project)
Between 1998 and 2003, this IUCN-led intervention in the Rufiji Delta area of Tanzania worked through the Rufiji District Council to develop village environment management plans in consultation with local communities. The project oversaw the effective transfer of resource management authority from the central government to four pilot villages comprising communities in the floodplain and delta areas affected by the flooding of the river downstream of the Selous Game Reserve.
Land-use maps were collaboratively produced by teams of researchers, government officials, and the communities themselves using a combination of modern and traditional means; these maps then formed the basis of participatory land use planning at the village level, focusing on empowering women as prime resource users. The enduring impact of the project has been closer cooperation between communities and local government in preserving the region's delicate socio-ecological balance.
Key Facts
Equator Prize Winner: 2004
Founded: 1998
Location: Rufiji District, Tanzania
Beneficiaries: Villages in the Rufiji River Delta
Biodiversity: Rufiji-Mafia-Kilwa Marine Ramsar site
Case Study
Find other Winners' Case Studies in our E-Library
Equator Prize 2004
Sub-Saharan Africa
Biodiversity Conservation
Sustainable Forestry
Marine and Coastal Resource Management
Freshwater Management
Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change
Contact Information
Mr. Abdalla Shah
Project Manager
Rufiji District, Coast Region
Tanzania
Tel: +255-(0) 23- 2402972; +255-(0) 22- 2666088
Fax: + 255-(0) 22- 2668611
Email: miromao@hotmail.com
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