Wigelekeko village in the Maswa District of Shinyanga personifies the success of ngitili-based conservation efforts. By the mid-1980s, overgrazing and land clearance for cotton fields had resulted in dry-season shortages of wood products, fodder, and water for the 408 households.
With HASHI guidance, the village set aside 157 hectares of degraded land. To enhance regeneration, grazing and tree-cutting was banned in the communal ngitili for five years, and villagers grazed their cattle only in individually owned ngitili. When the ban ended, the communal enclosure was carpeted with thriving trees and shrubs.
The village government and HASHI field officers then devised a simple management system including controlled collection of firewood through tree pruning, and limited dry-season grazing. Farmers were allowed to grow food crops in small patches, but with strict soil conservation measures. Protection of the communal ngitili was carried out through Sungusungu and communally agreed village by-laws.
In 1997 the villagers decided to expand the enclosure by 20 ha in order to build a small reservoir to store water for domestic and livestock use. Each household contributed US$4 to build the dam, which was completed in 1998. A year later, the reservoir was providing water continuously, with the value of its domestic water supply estimated at US$26,500 a year. Water for livestock contributes even more value—an estimated US$92,500 per year for sustaining about 1900 cattle. In 2000 fishing was introduced in the reservoir, further contributing to local livelihood security.
A Wigelekeko water users group now manages the dam and, with the village assembly’s approval, sells excess water to outsiders. In 2001 such sales raised US$250 for community development. To reduce demand on the community ngitili, two-thirds of villagers have also planted trees on their farms, averaging 100 saplings per hectare.
Source: Kaale et al. 2003:18
