Who are we

The Mtandao wa Jamii wa Usimamizi wa Misitu Tanzania (MJUMITA) in English also known as The Community Forest Conservation Network of Tanzania is a network of community groups involved in Participatory Forest Management (PFM) in Tanzania. The network provides a forum for capacity building, advocacy and communication for these groups. MJUMITA is an independent NGO and in 2007 it was legally registered under the NGO Act, 2002 with registration number 000NGO/1119. MJUMITA was established originally in response to the need for a forum for communities to share experiences with regard to Participatory Forest Management (PFM) and engage in dialogue with the Forestry and Beekeeping Division on ways to address policy, legal and implementation issues in relation to participatory forest management. MJUMITA currently has 90 affiliated local area networks (also known as CBOs), which are made up of Village Natural Resource Committees (VNRC) and Environmental User Groups. The local level networks are registered legal entities or are in the process of being registered.

MJUMITA's members are present in 12 regions, 23 districts, 450 villages and representing around 500 user groups or VNRCs involved in participatory forest management countrywide. The total number of MJUMITA members is approximately 6,000 people. MJUMITA operates in 6 geographical zones which are the Eastern and Coastal zone, Central Zone, Southern Highlands zone, Northern zone, Southern zone and the Western zone.

MJUMITA has the potential to be a powerful voice for the rural poor of Tanzania and has already had considerable success in negotiating for improved forest governance. Building on its success, the network is ready to engage proactively in advocating for greater accountability at all levels of government in relation to forest governance.

MJUMITA's main role is to promote networking and cooperation processes aiming to improve the capacity of her network members to engage in a meaningful way with management and conservation of natural forests, advocate for increased ownership and utilization of land and forest for improved livelihood of the people. MJUMITA also aim at developing its capacity and that of the secretariat to be able to provide quality technical support in participatory forest management.

MJUMITA is governed by a Board comprised of community representatives from the six geographical zones. The Board is elected by MJUMITA members. The MJUMITA secretariat is led by the Executive Director. A full-time Finance Officer is also employed. Recently MJUMITA has employed an international Technical Advisor to support institutional change and the implementation of MJUMITA's component of the Norwegian-financed REDD project.


The Core Objectives of MJUMITA

The Constitution of MJUMITA outlines several objectives to help in reaching her Vision. Below are some of these objectives:-

  • To recognize and help communities living adjacent to the forests and natural reserves to improve their livelihood through several support programs.
  • To sensitize sustainable development and management of forests in Tanzania Mainland through research, training, advocacy, networking and developing the capacities of MJUMITA members and other stakeholders.
  • To provide opportunities for MJUMITA members to exchange ideas, experiences on various issues related to sustainable forest management in Tanzania Mainland.
  • To support MJUMITA members to work and make meaningful decisions regarding their roles in Participatory Forest Management (PFM) and increase the capacity of Tanzanian citizens living adjacent to forests.
  • To seek for funds and other resources for implementing her core objectives and other interventions aiming to help MJUMITA to move toward the realization of her Vision.
  • To build the capcity of local communities to engage meaningfully in the decision making processes for sustainable national conserved and non-conserved forets.
  • To improve the capacity and initiatives of MJUMITA to implement her objectives.

MJUMITA's vision is to see Society that cares, manages, utilize forests and forest products sustainably.

MJUMITA's mission is to provide knowledge, build capacity and link communities with local networks (CBOs) for increased participation of stakeholders in advocacy and decision-making in ownership, management and utilization of forests.

MJUMITA is governed by a Board comprised of community representatives from the six geographical zones. The Board is elected by MJUMITA members during the Annual General Meeting. The MJUMITA secretariat is led by the Executive Director and a Technical Advisor to support institutional change and the implementation of MJUMITA's projects.

Since its inception MJUMITA has worked closely with other civil societies engaging in environmental issues particular Participatory Forest Management and is also a member of the Tanzania Forest working Group (TFCW). MJUMITA also works closely with Local Government Authorities in districts where MJUMITA networks are present. MJUMITA also have close relationship with the Forest and Beekeeping Division under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.


Some of MJUMITA's achievements to date include:

  • Through local network meetings and annual national meetings, MJUMITA has brought together more than 6000 community members from 12 regions, 23 districts and 450 villages to discuss participatory forest management. The meetings have provided an opportunity to present concerns to senior staff from the Forestry and Beekeeping Division. President Kikwete also attended one of the meetings and he is also a member of MJUMITA with card number 1 since 2005. The network meetings have also provided a forum for consultation between the Government and communities on the national REDD framework. The meetings provide a space in which communities from around the country can discuss issues of common concern and formulate and articulate demand for changes to the status quo.
  • MJUMITA have put issues around community rights in participatory forest management more firmly on the political agenda by working successfully with journalists to generate newspaper, radio and television coverage of the issues related to participatory forest management and by raising their concerns with politicians and civil servants.
  • The network has provided support to communities to demand and defend their forest rights where these are being threatened including in cases where private sector companies have attempted to take community forests.
  • Individual networks have succeeded in halting illegal logging and other illegal activities within their forests and bringing to account government staff involved in illegal activities.
  • MJUMITA is now recognized both nationally and internationally.

Rational for Engaging in Community Forest Management

Worldwide there are a number of pressing issues in the forest sector that need urgent attention, which also apply to Tanzania. The citizens of Tanzania, especially those living adjacent to forests need to play a key role in making community forest resource management deliver on its promises. There are few examples of current and future challenges for the people and forest equation and how they relate to community forestry:

  • vulnerable community groups, especially the landless are increasingly relying on common property resources such as forest land resources to provide for their daily living and income.
  • for local people to benefit from engaging in forestry, strengthening of forest tenure, access and use rights are required.
  • in a rapidly changing world secure community rights to forest land become of utmost importance to prevent loss of community resources to for example bio-energy enterprise development, expansion of agriculture and conservation.
  • the increased demand for wood products locally and worldwide provide challenges and opportunities. Illegal harvesting of timber provides a major challenge. At the same time the growing demand provides opportunities for tree growing as a cash crop and income from village forest lands.
  • the emissions of carbon from deforestation and forest degradation amounts to around 20% of global emissions, rating higher that the transport sector globally. Expansion of community forestry can contribute significantly to climate change mitigation and at the same time reduce poverty. However, carbon financing for pro-poor forestry through initiatives such as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) need testing and negotiations to clarify how agreements can be made to benefit community forestry.
  • water is increasingly becoming a scarce resource and rural populations living in landscapes with water catchment functions are expected to and often apply conservation practices for maintaining supplies of critical ecosystem services such as water for irrigation, supply of drinking water, hydro power and other uses. Payments for environmental services schemes are currently being tested to reward peoples forest conservation efforts which yielding benefits to the wider society. Apart from water, forests hold valuable biological diversity and forest ecosystems play a critical role as absorbing and storing carbon.
  • there is an increasing need to help community forestry stakeholders address the social dimensions of current and future development trends affecting people and forest alike, including poor and highly vulnerable people.

Photos


TRAINING VILLAGERS ON TREE NURSERY FOREST CONSERVATION REDUCING ENERGY SOURCE FROM FIREWOOD REDUCING ENERGY SOURCE FROM FIREWOOD