Towards operational payments for water ecosystem services in Tanzania: a case study from the Uluguru Mountains

TY - JOUR

T1 - Towards operational payments for water ecosystem services in Tanzania

T2 - a case study from the Uluguru Mountains

AU - Lopa, Dosteus

AU - Mwanyoka, Iddi

AU - Jambiya, George

AU - Massoud, Thabit

AU - Harrison, Paul

AU - Ellis-Jones, Mark

AU - Blomley, Tom

AU - Leimona, Beria

AU - van Noordwijk, Meine

AU - Burgess, Neil David

PY - 2012/1

Y1 - 2012/1

N2 - Sustaining the regular flow of water from mountain forests is important for downstream stakeholders in seasonally dry tropical countries, and a watershed payment for ecosystem services (PES) scheme that links rural ecosystem service providers to urban water users through economic transfers may help to maintain water supply and forest habitat. A CARE/WWF project in the Uluguru Mountains of Tanzania has established a pilot watershed PES scheme. We trace the development of this scheme and outline its initial impacts. Memoranda of Understanding between companies in Dar es Salaam (the downstream water users) and farmers in the mountains provide the framework to deliver tangible financial benefits to local people, help change patterns of land use and potentially improve water quality. A number of lessons learned from this project are relevant for similar schemes elsewhere in the region. Overcoming the various challenges is essential for expanding the current pilot project to a scale where it delivers measurable changes in water quality for downstream users.

AB - Sustaining the regular flow of water from mountain forests is important for downstream stakeholders in seasonally dry tropical countries, and a watershed payment for ecosystem services (PES) scheme that links rural ecosystem service providers to urban water users through economic transfers may help to maintain water supply and forest habitat. A CARE/WWF project in the Uluguru Mountains of Tanzania has established a pilot watershed PES scheme. We trace the development of this scheme and outline its initial impacts. Memoranda of Understanding between companies in Dar es Salaam (the downstream water users) and farmers in the mountains provide the framework to deliver tangible financial benefits to local people, help change patterns of land use and potentially improve water quality. A number of lessons learned from this project are relevant for similar schemes elsewhere in the region. Overcoming the various challenges is essential for expanding the current pilot project to a scale where it delivers measurable changes in water quality for downstream users.

U2 - 10.1017/S0030605311001335

DO - 10.1017/S0030605311001335

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0030-6053

VL - 46

SP - 34

EP - 44

JO - Oryx

JF - Oryx

IS - 01

ER -