Planting and Caring for Trees is Possible in Shinyanga District 

OPE is venturing on this as a result of confirmation of a magnitude of problems that are circulated around the ecosystems and watersheds of the Shinyanga District Council and experiencing an extensive process of degradation and deforestation. Extensive degradation and deforestation of the ecosystems and watersheds of SHINYANGA are attributed to factors related to:

 Population growth

 Land use change

 Poor land management practices

Unsustainable harvesting of natural resources

 Migration

Declining commodity prices and climate change

 All these leading to dramatic changes to the landscapes. This has necessitated clearing of natural trees and other shade trees, without replacing the tree based system with equivalent to soil fertility management systems. Thus, soil was left bare for longer periods with consequent run-off and siltation.

OPE is complying with and ensuring the Objectives of the National Climate Change Response Strategy 2021 - 2026 are aligned with our Planting trees initiative. The planting trees/reforestation project aims to restore about 67,000 hectares by planting 650,000 trees in Shinyanga District Council.  Our key objective is by 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality. The interventions will improve the land ecosystems condition, through agroforestry and tree planting hence more biomass leading to an improved rain water infiltration by reducing surface run off, there by increased soil water storage, more water will be available for plants which finally will improve crop plants productivity and yield. The main objective is to promote Sustainable Land Management through policy influencing and tree planting through agroforestry, thus providing basis for economic development, food security and sustainable livelihoods while restoring the ecological integrity of Shinyanga region.