Session: Rangeland degradation and invasive species infestation in northern Tanzania, driven by climate and societal change, reduces threatened wildlife populations and threatens food security for pastoralist communities. Here, women are the biggest victims of climate change and land degradation but are also key agents of change. Oikos pilots an innovative, pastoralist-driven, rangeland restoration process, empowering 480 women to become catalysts of sustainable management in wildlife-rich, but degrading, rangelands of the Tarangire-Manyara-Kilimanjaro ecosystem, restoring grazing opportunities for them and their families. They are making a difference in today's world towards a brighter future.
Speaker: Jane F. Ploechl is the Assistant Conservation Program Manager at Oikos. She is a conservation agroecologist working in conservation and environmental education in Tanzania for more than ten years. Currently, as Assistant Programme Manager for the rangeland conservation program, she has focused on degraded rangelands in northern Tanzania, working and engaging with the pastoral communities and seeing the power of women working together with scientists, communities, and young people.