UNDP to continue support Tanzania on combating climate change

By Paul Mallimbo
The UNDP Deputy Country Director, Ms Louise Chamberlain has said that, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will continue to support the Government of Tanzania in combating land degradation threat in addition to climate change threats and its impacts.
She said Agriculture which is still the dominant sector of Tanzania’s economy, specially in rural areas, has been shackled by productivity decline caused by both land degradation as we as poor water management.
“We recognize that for a developing country like Tanzania, actions on Sustainable Land Managemnet (SLM) should be consistent with the country’s priorities for poverty reduction and sustainable development as outlined in the MKUKUTA,” she added.
Ms Louise Chamberlain said this during the closing of a five day workshop on Up scaling investments in Sustainable Land Management (SLM) in Tanzania, over the weekend.
Ms Chamberlain said currently, land degradation is provisionally estimated to affect at least 40 percent of Tanzania’s population.
“You will all recall that the Fourth Phase Government prioritized overcoming Land Degradation at its outset by setting up an emergency programme to restore ecological productivity in key watersheds and wetlands – through MKAKATI (Strategy for Urgent Actions on Land Management and Water Catchments)” she added.
However, the director said that, Centrality of the agricultural sector to national
development plan makes land  degradation a very critical aspect, and sustainable land management a fundamental determinant of the long-term success of Tanzania’s development strategy.
She was also concerned that, there is also a need to be strategic because currently there is reduction in donor aid in many countries because of difficult economic situation facing the world. Under such situation the donors are earning less as result they give less.
She warned that due to the current shaky global economy, Official Development Assistance (ODA) may be negatively affected, should this happen countries that are dependant on such assistance to finance its development, including Tanzania where current about 40 percent of the national budget comprise ODA will be severely affected.
Adding that, it is good that stakeholders talk about taking action to achieve Sustainable Land Management in the country and explore how the investments will be financed. This is where the Integrated Financing  Strategy (IFS) developed by the Global Mechanism comes multipurpose.
However, She added that, the investment plans that would result from this consultation should ensure longer term developments on Sustainable Land Management (SLM) especially responding to these events timely and in a coordinated manner.
Ms Chamberlain urged the government to at least be able to mainstreams Sustainable Land Management mechanisms in planning, market/fiscal financial and implementations processes.
She said such a situation should not affect the country and instead, she urged the country’s leaders to be creative and explore various funding options which are in place. “We must think outside the box and come out with ideas that show us that a business as usual approach will not help us achieve our goal,” she advised.
Speaking on Kilimo Kwanza efforts, Ms Chamberlain said that if the country wants to fight hunger, poverty and environmental degradation trends are to be reversed.  It should be noted that keeping a proper balance between these two issues is quite a challenge.
She said although the Government of Tanzania has developed good policies to address environmental issues including Environment Management Act (EMA2004), land degradation still remains number one environmental problem in Tanzania.
She cited some of the government measures as to fight these problems as MKUKUTA where it stresses the need for both vertical and horizontal integration and stronger cross sectoral collaboration.
Ms Chamberlain also said that, this is where the need for consensus on a common vision for coordination becomes very important.  It should be recognized that the need for active engagement with all partners in supporting and addressing SLM is essential in achieving countrie’s goals.
This Workshop  was organized by Vice President’s Office, Division of Environment, and attended by stakeholders from different Ministries, Local Government, representatives from Rome, Uganda, Ghana and Civil Society Organizations, with interest in Sustainable Land Management (SLM).