Nakonde, Zambia

Improved mud stoves burn 50 percent less wood.

The district experiences a lot of soil erosion due to heavy rains and the lack of trees. Most streams in the district are silted because of the lack of ground cover, and have water only during the rainy season.

In 1999, with financial support from the New Zealand Government under its Voluntary Agency Support Scheme, World Vision began a three-year environment conservation project in Nakonde ADP. The project aims to raise community awareness of environmental issues, reverse the effects of deforestation, and promote fuel-efficient stoves and alternative sources of income.

Community meetings are held to educate people about the effects of deforestation on the environment. Those communities that have been trained in nursery management and have established tree nurseries are visited weekly by a technician to check on their progress.

One example is the Kasichila community. It has formed a conservation group of 20 women and 25 men that meets twice a week to tend the community nursery. In 2000, the group raised over 10,000 seedlings of various tree species, which they planted around their homes. In 2001, that figure was closer to 20,000.

Tree seedlings from community nurseries are planted out in the rainy season. The ADP purchases seed to replenish the nurseries’ stock, with some of the seed being supplied by locals. The people have learnt how to collect seed from the forest, treat, sow and transplant it, and thereby raise trees on their own.

Community members are trained to teach other people about the benefits of using fuel-efficient mud stoves and to help build them. The improved stoves burn at least 50 percent less wood than standard ones.

Burning wood to make charcoal is a major commercial activity in Nakonde. Charcoal earns a good price at market, mainly due to the demand across the border in Tanzania, where fuel wood sources have been depleted. More than 150 charcoal vendors cross into Tanzania every day, carrying a minimum of two 50kg bags of charcoal.

To encourage people to start up business ventures that do not rely on forestry products, the conservation project provides training in basic credit management and a revolving loan scheme for people living in the ADP area.