Project Summary

Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous archipelago off the coast of Tanzania, faces twin challenges: seasonal droughts that threaten food and water security, and increasingly intense floods due to climate change and unregulated urbanization. The Water Wise Zanzibar project is a nature-based, community-driven initiative aimed at restoring hydrological balance using sustainable water management, eco-restoration, and climate resilience education.

This 3-year project will demonstrate how nature-based solutions (NbS) can effectively reduce climate risk while empowering communities and protecting ecosystems.

Project Objectives

• Restore Water Cycles: Rehabilitate degraded watersheds and wetlands to improve groundwater recharge and reduce flood risk.
• Build Climate Resilience: Support communities in adopting drought-resistant agriculture and rainwater harvesting.
• Urban Water Management: Implement green infrastructure (bioswales, permeable pavements) in flood-prone areas.
• Education & Capacity Building: Train local stakeholders in sustainable practices and environmental stewardship.
• Policy Influence: Inform government planning with scalable nature-based climate adaptation models.

Target Areas

• Unguja and Pemba Islands, focusing on:
• Flood-vulnerable informal settlements near Stone Town and Chake Chake.
• Drought-stricken farming communities in central and northern Zanzibar.

Key Activities

Activity	Description
Watershed Restoration	Planting of 250,000 native trees and wetland vegetation in 10 critical catchments.
Rainwater Harvesting Systems	Installation of 100 community rainwater tanks (10,000L each) in schools, clinics, and villages.
Agroecology Training	Capacity building in drought-resilient, organic agriculture for 1,500 farmers.
Urban Green Infrastructure	Creation of 5 demonstration bioswales and 3 permeable community plazas.
Flood Early Warning	Pilot community-led weather monitoring with mobile alerts in 4 districts.
Awareness Campaigns	Environmental education in 50 schools and 20 community centers.
Monitoring & Policy Support	Collaboration with local authorities for long-term planning and impact tracking.

Budget Breakdown (3-Year Implementation)

Category	Cost (USD)
Watershed & Wetland Restoration	$420,000
Rainwater Harvesting Infrastructure	$350,000
Agroecology & Community Training	$180,000
Urban Green Infrastructure	$280,000
Climate Monitoring & Tech (Sensors, Alerts)	$100,000
Awareness Campaigns & School Programs	$90,000
Staffing (Project Management, Field Teams)	$300,000
Monitoring & Evaluation	$80,000
Contingency & Miscellaneous (10%)	$180,000
Total Estimated Budget	$1,980,000

Expected Impact

• 100,000+ beneficiaries with improved water access or reduced flood risk.
• 25% reduction in flood-related damages in pilot neighborhoods.
• X25% reduction in water retention in restored catchments.
• Sustainable livelihoods for 1,500+ farmers.
• Enhanced policy alignment with Zanzibar’s National Adaptation Plan and Vision 2050.

Partners & Stakeholders

• Government of Zanzibar (Ministries of Environment, Water, and Agriculture)
• Local NGOs and CBOs.
• Schools, clinics, and women's cooperatives.
• International climate and development partners (e.g., UNEP, GCF, GIZ)