Mbololo and Mwambirwa Integrated Forest Conservation and Livelihood Improvement

The project's main goal was to promote sound environmental management of the Taita Hills forests and environs while enhancing local livelihoods, with objectives to rehabilitate degraded parts of Mbololo and Mwambirwa forests, promote sustainable land use and soil/water management along the riverine ecosystem, build local capacity for environmental management, promote conservation education and awareness, and support nature-based enterprises as alternative incomes.

Launched in August 2007 and completed in June 2010, the project achieved conservation awareness through 15 barazas (public meetings), reflected in increased community participation in forest rehabilitation, a vibrant Eco Club movement across 8 schools and youth polytechnics, gender parity in group leadership, and community adoption of riverbank protection techniques such as Vetiver grass and Giant Bamboo planting. Fifteen tree nurseries emerged, and the Kazi Kwa Vijana Programme joined the forest rehabilitation effort.

Community capacity was built through the formation and registration of the RONGO Water Resource Users Association, the MWAMBO Community Forest Association, and the MATUKU Multipurpose (Marketing) Cooperative Society, alongside training that equipped members with skills in fish farming, beekeeping, butterfly farming, basketry, and leatherwork, plus a community resource center for meetings and business.

Some 70 hectares (19.5%) of the severely burnt Mwambirwa Forest was replanted with 90,062 indigenous seedlings; six tree nurseries raised over 200,000 seedlings, with 11 more nurseries later established. Fourteen tree-planting days engaged 1,862 people. Drought in 2008/9 frustrated rangeland rehabilitation trials with Jatropha and Aloe, though trained farmers continued the work regardless.

Soil and riverine conservation efforts built 4.5 km of cut-off drains stabilized with vetiver grass, plus 3 check dams and 1 sand dam across two rivers — the sand dam alone now benefits 100 homesteads within a 10 km radius. Eleven springs were protected through the planting of 3,000 catchment-friendly tree species, and 1,800 bamboo seedlings were planted along 4.5 km of river banks.

Fish farming introduced in 2008 took root, with 50 fish ponds covering roughly 10,000 m² stocked with 10,000 Tilapia fingerlings, rejuvenating marshy areas previously drained for farming. Beekeeping and butterfly farming were promoted with 200 beehives, a honey refinery, and 26 butterfly breeding cages. The project also connected the Allan Mjomba Secondary School Scouting Movement with the Matuku Disabled Persons Self Help Group to jointly manage a fish pond and share proceeds, and trained 150 elderly people and persons with disabilities in basketry and leatherwork.