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Note from the Revalue team
In Tanzania’s Ruvuma region, Carbon Tanzania and its partner, Revalue, are redefining social impact monitoring with a statistically-driven, community-led approach.
From October 16 to 22, 2024, a large-scale survey was carried out to establish a social baseline in Ruvuma. With 2,078 respondents representing diverse ages, genders, and locations, and including more than just heads of households, this survey provides a statistically robust understanding of realities on the ground — a major improvement over the smaller, less representative samples typically used in most carbon projects.
Revalue’s lead social scientist, Dr. Rumi Naito, explains, “Even in verified carbon projects, the vast majority of community monitoring surveys fail to use representative samples and lack methodological rigor in data collection. As a result, the findings are often biased and don’t fully capture the community’s experiences. We are changing that.”
Developed by Carbon Tanzania, the Ruvuma Wilderness Project spans 39 Wildlife Management Area (WMA) member villages across the Tunduru and Namtumbo districts. These villages are home to over 100,000 people from the Yao, Ndendeule, Ngoni, and Nindi ethnic groups, who primarily rely on small-scale farming for their livelihoods.
Carbon Tanzania’s co-founder, Marc Baker, says, “We don’t just develop carbon projects. We build them with communities by integrating local needs and realities at every step. Partnering with Revalue has been crucial in taking our social baseline monitoring to the next level.”
What sets our social baseline monitoring apart is our deep commitment to community participation, technology, and scientific rigour. But measuring social baselines across such a vast, rugged landscape is no easy feat. With thousands of people scattered across remote villages, collecting representative data can be a real challenge.
So, what was the solution? Empowering local youth as “Carbon Champions.” Rather than bringing in outside researchers, Carbon Tanzania recruited and trained 78 young men and women from the project villages to conduct surveys within their own communities.
“It all began as an idea during a drive through Ruvuma’s landscapes,” recalls Azaria Kilimba, Carbon Tanzania's Operations Manager. “We needed a solution that wasn’t just efficient but also deeply rooted in the community. It wasn’t just about gathering data—it was also about empowering local youth and building trust.”
To ensure the data was collected consistently and accurately, the survey used multiple-choice, close-ended questions. The Carbon Champions then leveraged a powerful survey tool on smartphones, equipped with both online and offline capabilities and real-time GPS tracking. This enabled the Carbon Tanzania and Revalue team to monitor the process remotely, make adjustments on the go, and maintain data integrity.
Taking it a step further, the team used a robust stratified random sampling method to capture a diverse and representative range of voices, including youth, women, and those in more remote locations.
Dr. Naito explains, “Combining the survey platform’s advanced features with the work of the Carbon Champions was a game-changer. This approach allowed us to gather over 2,000 representative samples in just one week, all without compromising the highest standards in data collection.”
The survey revealed invaluable lessons for the project.
At the baseline, the majority the communities were happy that their village was part of the project. WMAs that started engaging with the community early on saw more positive attitudes from the people. This suggests that expanding activities and engagement can further strengthen community support. The project will track progress as it begins to roll out its activities.
Trust is essential for gaining community support, and it builds when WMAs provide real, tangible value. By actively addressing issues like human-wildlife conflicts and supporting local livelihoods, this trust can grow—especially when communities can see and feel the positive impact firsthand.
Empowering communities by helping them understand their rights and the governance structures of WMAs is key to building trust in the project. When people know what benefits they are entitled to and how they can get involved, they are more likely to support the project and feel confident about its outcomes.
Many community members already recognise the value of preserving forests and coexisting with wildlife, even with the challenges it brings. This shared belief aligns perfectly with the project's goals and offers a solid foundation for collaboration. By building on this common ground, we can create solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature.
After evaluating the data, the project team returned to the villages to share the findings. This transparency was met with enthusiasm.
One Carbon Champion shares her experience: "Being part of this survey has been eye-opening. Not only did I learn new skills, but I also got to contribute to something that could really benefit my community. It's empowering to know that our voices are being heard and valued."
The partnership between Carbon Tanzania, Revalue, and the communities of Ruvuma is setting a new benchmark for social baseline monitoring.
Dr. Naito concludes: “The insights from the survey will help us refine strategies, allocate resources, and improve project activities to better meet the evolving needs of the communities. At Revalue, we’re excited to be setting a new standard for social baseline monitoring. We’ve developed a more rigorous, science-based approach, and we’re now applying it across all our projects.”
