By Marc Nkwame , The Guardian
MANYARA Region authorities are working to create a major hub for carbon trading in the East African Community zone, setting aside upwards of one million hectares of forest land, with more clusters likely to be added.
Michael Gwandu, the regional forest officer, said here at the weekend that 600,000 hectares of wilderness will remain undisturbed for conservation and carbon trading, located in the vast Simanjiro District.
“In association with village authorities, we have also reserved 200,000 hectares in Kiteto District, while Mbulu, Babati and Hanang’ districts hold 200,000 hectares,” he said.
The demarcated forests are mapped within gazetted village lands, some with customary title deeds, with even larger reserved areas yet to be included in the bill, he said.
“We intend to make Manyara the hub of carbon trading in East Africa,” said Gwandu, he stated, noting that the region has a low population density of 43 people per square kilometre. The 2022 Census report indicates the presence of 1.9m people spread across 50.9m hectares of land, he pointed out.
It is a situation that places Manyara in the forefront of reducing carbon dioxide in the country, with a plausible regional impact, he said, noting that various organizations and agencies have indicated willingness in carbon trading contracts with a number of villages.
“We have been receiving offers from as far as Australia and Singapore,” he said, elaborating that Carbon (T) has already started operating in the region.
Net Zero Africa, The Nature Conservancy (TNC); The Nature Restoration Company (TNRC) and Soil for Future are firms that have been sending carbon trading proposals, he stated.
Manyara Region has designated 2.3m hectares for livestock grazing and farming even as it endorses 1m hectares for forest conservation with carbon trading in mind, he further noted
The region has charted three distinct agro-ecological zones, where nearly 1.5m hectares of land is suitable for crop production, with close to 80 per cent of the region’s population anchored in livestock keeping.
The region has on the other hand earmarked 2,518 hectares for crop processing, minerals industry and other development projects, he added.
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