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.
