Poverty Reduction in the Gorongosa National Park Buffer Zone The overall impact of the project is: Contribute to human development and poverty alleviation through an integrated approach of education, improved access to health services, improved agricultural practices and ecotourism development based on the restored biodiversity and ecological processes.

The proposal has been strategically positioned to enable activities for girls’ education and empowerment, poverty reduction in the former conflict zone, the investment into climate smart agriculture practices through agro-forestry approaches and targeted conservation enterprise development support to facilitate post-conflict reintegration and economic growth, particularly targeting women run micro and small to medium size enterprises:  The “Gorongosa Poverty Reduction” project comprises three core areas of support : 
1) Empowering girls through establishing “Girls Clubs”, among other sources of support, in 42 schools in the northern Buffer Zone, based on the lessons learnt from the initial piloting of the approach in 16 schools in Gorongosa and Cheringoma Districts during 2018; 
2) Transforming value chains through strengthening cashew nut and coffee-based agro-forestry models as climate-smart agriculture options and creating jobs among post-harvest facilities; and
3) Creating conservation livelihood opportunities through sustainable enterprise creation focusing on: fisheries, forestry and ecotourism.