UN-REDD: Tanzania

• The Tanzania UN-REDD Programme was launched on 6 November 2009 in Morogoro, Tanzania. Special Guests at the launch were Dr. Ladislaus Komba, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT); Alain Noudehou, Country Director, UNDP; H.E. Jon Lomoy, Norwegian Ambassador; Donatius Kamamba, Director of Antiquities, MNRT; Patrick Qorro, Chairman, Tanzania Forest Conservation Group. Over 80 people from various national organizations, NGOs, government ministries, and community groups were on hand to celebrate the official launch of the UN-REDD Programme in Tanzania. In the spirit of national coordination, the Tanzania Forest Conservation Group Mjumita Community REDD project was also launched at the same event. A press conference was held on 5 November in Dar-es-Salaam to publicize the launch.
• A joint UN-REDD Programme/ FCPF work mission is planned
• With support from Government of Norway, Tanzania hosts a SADC (Southern Africa Development Community) REDD Conference on 18-20 November
• Towards the UNFCCC negotiations at COP-15
  • Tanzania leads the Least Developed Countries group on climate change negotiations that will determine the future REDD regime at COP 15.
  • The National Task force is preparing materials and presentations for COP-15 highlighting four areas: National REDD Strategy;  the current state of knowledge on national forest cover (Forestry and Beekeeping Division /FAO/WWF); Participatory Forest Management (Community Based and Joint Forest Management) at the national level, and application of lessons learned, with a focus on biodiversity conservation and other co-benefits (Forestry and Beekeeping Division and Tanzania Forest Conservation Group); and participatory MRV, or how to involve communities in forest monitoring.  A short film linking REDD and PFM activities in Tanzania is also being prepared.

In addition, ongoing activities include:

• Training of the National Task Force members on REDD issues to build the capacity of the Forestry and Beekeeping Division to ensure good coordination;
• Ongoing awareness raising activities at different levels of stakeholders (non governmental organizations, civil society organizations and  the private sector). Two workshops were organized, and more are under way. Some policy makers visited Brazil and Australia to learn from their experiences.
• Guidelines for stakeholders (NGOs, Public and private institutions) to access funding from REDD Funds under Norwegian support have been finalized. Responding to the call for proposals, 40 concept notes were received from NGOs.  These were evaluated and commented. Two projects were subsequently received and evaluated;  one has been approved (Universities research institutions partnership) and the other one is undergoing some revision (TFCG)
• Preparations to document several case studies are completed, and actual documentation will start soon after fund approval. These include:
  • Pilot plots to establish baseline monitoring data against which future changes can be measured;
  • Capacity building activities of Tanzania’s university & research institutions by building cooperation with international experts;
  • Forest adjacent local communities awareness-creation and capacity building;
  • More sensitization of policy makers (Parliamentarians, Cabinet and Political parties Leaders)

Implementation towards National UN-REDD Programme outputs is scheduled to begin in January 2010

September/October 2009:

• National Programme finalized for endorsement by the government and the three UN agencies.
• Staff is being recruited

August 2009

24 August: the National REDD initiative is launched in Dar es Salaam.

July 2009:

22 -23 July: A joint mission for the UN team is organized:

• The Tanzania UN-REDD Programme was finalized through a consultative process involving the government and national stakeholders.
• The final Programme document reflects the following changes :
• Programme extended to 2 years;
• Articulation of linkages by adding an inventory of all REDD initiatives in the country;
• Programme implementation mechanisms agreed to: i.e. as an integral part of ONE-UN in Tanzania under the Joint Program on Environment

June 2009

The National Forest Resources Monitoring and Assessment was launched in Dar- es Salaam, supported by the Finish Government with linkage to the UN-REDD Programme;

April to June 2009

Comments received from the Policy Board on the Tanzania UN-REDD Programme were shared with stakeholders. The comments addressed  the duration of the proposed UN-REDD programme; the need for a better articulation of the linkages with other REDD initiatives in Tanzania; the establishment of fund management arrangements.

March 2009

The Tanzania UN-REDD Programme Document was presented to the Policy Board at the occasion of its first meeting in March 2009, and the budget allocation was approved.