Purpose

The natural resources around two water catchment areas in Tanzania have for a long time been under severe pressure due to unsustainable use of the land and deforestation. The unsustainable use of the natural resources causes the water ways, which are supplied with water from the water catchment areas, to lose their vitality and hence there is less water in the water ways and the water is of poorer quality. 
 

The programme compensates poor people for taking better care of the environment around the water catchment areas in order to improve the water amount and quality further down stream.

The PES programme is a very innovative programme, which draws a lot of attention from our donors, since it is a new and more market oriented way of thinking about natural resource preservation and poverty reduction, and which will be able to function completely without financial assistance in the long term.

Target group

Poor farmers and communities, which live around the water catchment areas that supply the water ways with water.
 

Activities
The PES programme introduces a payment system between poor farmers, who cultivate the land or forest around the water catchment areas, and the companies, who use the water, either for the production of electricity or soft drinks. This way the farmers are compensated for using the natural resources more sustainbly, which in the long term gives more and better water quality to the benefit of the companies located at the mouth of the water ways. At the same time, the compensation from the companies also helps the poor farmers and their families out of poverty.

Area

CARE Danmark's programme only covers Tanzania, but it is part of a global CARE International programme, which includes ten water catchment areas, two in each of the following countries: The Philippines, Guatemala, Peru, Indonesia and Tanzania.

Duration and budget
April 2006 - September 2007 (phase 1). Budget approx. 5 mio. kr., financed by CARE Danmark through DANIDA and another approx. 5 mio. kr. financed by WWF Holland through DGIS.

January 2008 - December 2011 (phase 2). Budget approx. 10 mio. kr. financed by CARE Danmark through DANIDA.

Partners
The programme is carried out in alliance with WWF Holland and IIED (International Institute for Environment and Development)

Contact 

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