Carbon business scenarios and communities' tradeoffs under REDD+ in Lindi rural district, Tanzania

Abstract

This study assessed carbon businesss scenarios and communities' tradeoffs in villages under TFCG-MJUMITA REDD+ Pilot area. Kinyope village forest (1,306 ha) located within the REDD+ pilot project area was purposively selected. Forest inventory was done in the village forest to determine carbon storage potential. By using a sampling intensity of 0.06% sample plots were systematically laid out. Snowball sampling was used to identify and study forest user groups, and a detailed checklist was used to assess the land uses such as shifting cultivation, charcoal production, pit-sawying and firewood collection for undertaking of an economic analysis. The results revealed that the sampled forest had a carbon storage potential of 69.17 tC ha-1 equivalent to 253.62 tC02e ha'. NPV of forest carbon storage was higher than NPVs of other FRLUs excluding NPV of timber production (at discounting rate 20% for 20 years project horizon). On average under the without REDD+ scenario the FRLUs had higher NPV (TZS 14,685,372.58 ha' year") even at higher interest rates. NPV deference was approximately 2 times more than that of carbon storage (TZS 7 280 238.31 halyear'). The study suggests opting for REDD+ initiatives as it could reduce pressure on forests. However, it recommends undertaking of intensive economic analysis to inform communities intending to manage forests for REDD+ in the country so that they make informed decisions. It also suggests a mixture of incentives to be introduced so as to compensate for the limited access of managing forests under REDD+. It proposes integration of REDD+ with other relevant sectoral investiment plans to facilitate REDD+ implementation.