How Sh33 billion carbon credit project will benefit Arusha, Tanzania

Arusha. Citizens in 16 villages located in Longido District, Arusha Region, are expected to earn Sh33 billion annually through the implementation of a carbon harvesting project.

The project involves upholding conservation measures on 2.4 million hectares to 1.9 million tonnes worth $12.7 million which is equivalent to Sh33 billion.

The revelation was made on June 20 during the handover of Sh370 million to five villages that have commenced the execution of the project after signing contracts with Soils for Future Tanzania Limited.

The five beneficiary villages are Kimokuwa, Ngoswak, Sinonik, Loondolwo, and Noondoto.

The villages are tasked with the proper land use plans, environmental protection, and the implementation of other local programmes.

Handing over the Sh372.33 million dummy cheque, Longido District Commissioner, Marco Ng’umbi lauded Soils for the Future Tanzania for taking the projects to beneficiaries.

“This will encourage the local communities to come up with proper land-use plans, dedicating ample land for environmental conservation as well as rangelands for grazing,” he said.

He said most of the areas dedicated to carbon trading are rangelands, which play double roles as core undertakings of carbon trading reserves, as well as grazing plains.

“It will complement the district residents’ economic mainstay of livestock keeping through the dedicated rangelands that are now also precincts for carbon harvesting reserves, earning the villages money in the process.

Furthermore, he said Sh372.33 million would be used for grazing alteration practices and to begin the implementation of a soil carbon credit.

“The five villages have qualified for the soil carbon credit project after signing a Memorandum of Understanding and agreements and developing and submitting proposals on how to spend the earned monies,” said the company’s carbon project coordinator, Mr Richard Ndaskoi.

Mr Ndaskoi said the soil carbon project, which will take place for 40 years, will cover 2.4 hectares mapped in Longido and Monduli districts.

Experts say rangelands are capable of harvesting 1.9 million tonnes of carbon, producing credits worth over $12.7 million per year.

The communities also developed new ‘Rapid Rotational Grazing’ arrangements for livestock that are necessary to join the Longido and Monduli Rangelands Carbon Project (LMRCP).

These ‘Rapid Rotational Grazing (RRG)’ plans are reportedly necessary to accumulate more carbon in the soil.

The Ngoswak village chairman, Mr Keryan Lemndoo, said the carbon project has given residents a reason to conserve rangelands, practice modern livestock-keeping methods, and reduce the usual movements from one area to another, seeking greener pastures.

The five villages signed formal agreements with Soils for the Future (Tanzania) Ltd to execute the project on 71,656.30 hectares, which is the total amount of communal grazing areas allocated by the residents of all five villages.

It was revealed that each of the five recipient villages will be paid an equivalent of $2 per hectare for the grazing area they are committed to for the project.