Assessment Of Current State And Impact Of REDD+ On Livelihood Of Local People In Rungwe District, Tanzania

A climate change mitigation mechanism, Reducing Emission from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) is anticipated to affect livelihoods of forest dependent communities. This study was conducted to establish this impact on livelihoods of local people in Rungwe District, Tanzania. Data were collected through questionnaires, group discussions, and interviews from three villages: Syukula, Ilolo and Kibisi. Results showed that households annual income and crop production are higher after REDD+ implementation. The older respondents (>40 years old) considered REDD+ to be important for forest management compared to younger generation (<40 years old) (p < 0.05). Similarly, the older respondents considered wood forest products such as fuelwood, charcoal, timber and poles to be reduced. There was a widespread awareness about REDD+’s objectives among household respondents. Therefore, REDD+ proponents should implement alternative sources of livelihoods to help local people improve their income and reduce dependence on the forest resources and eventually decrease deforestation and forest degradation.