Tanzanian pastoralists win global award for innovative land restoration project combining traditional knowledge with mobile technology

A groundbreaking conservation initiative led by pastoralist communities in rural Tanzania has earned international recognition at the inaugural IUCN Tech4Nature Awards. The Sustainable Rangelands Initiative (SRI), developed by African People & Wildlife (APW), won the NatureTech Stewards category during the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi for its innovative approach to combating land degradation and improving pasture management.

The project operates across seven districts in Northern and Central Tanzania, including Simanjiro, Babati, Longido, and Ngorongoro—areas critical for both livestock grazing and wildlife conservation. What makes this initiative unique is its fusion of traditional pastoral knowledge with modern mobile technology. Local grazing committees work alongside trained community grassland monitors who use smartphones to collect detailed environmental data about water sources, vegetation cover, grass growth rates, soil health, and invasive species.

Nasma Mustafa, a Rangeland Monitor from Engaluka Village, explains the straightforward methodology: “We use a measuring tape, a rope and a phone. The rope is stretched over 100 meters on the ground, at the same level with a measuring tape with five marks. We then observe which of the five marks touches vegetation and which ones touch bare ground.” This data is then uploaded through mobile phones and transmitted to community grazing committees and village-level technology centers for analysis and action.

The initiative demonstrates how empowering local communities with appropriate technology can create effective, scalable solutions for land restoration while preserving traditional pastoral practices that have sustained these landscapes for generations.