Guyana’s embassy in Beijing was the centre of environmental interest on March 25, 2015, when dozens of representatives from a wide cross-section of international governmental organisations, the diplomatic community and Chinese low-carbon technology companies came together to look at how changes in climate are affecting the Caribbean.
The workshop was organised by INTASAVE Asia-Pacific and the Caribbean Caucus of Ambassadors, with support from the China South Low Carbon Academy. It was attended by about 40 people and explored the impact climate change is having on the Caribbean, and its people, economies and infrastructure.
The event was also a chance for Chinese experts to share progress on China/South-South Cooperation policy and approaches to mitigating the effects of climate change. The forum explored the ways that public-private partnerships can be improved to tackle climate change in the Caribbean.
Professor David Dabydeen, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Republic of Guyana, China gave the opening remarks.
Dr Murray Simpson, CEO of the INTASAVE-CARIBSAVE Group and visiting Research Fellow, Oxford University, was the key speaker, addressing issues in the Caribbean, climate change adaptation and low-carbon projects in the region and beyond. Dr Simpson also talked about the challenges and opportunities for south-south cooperation.
Ms Li Ting, Executive Director, China South Low Carbon Academy, shared her organisation’s perspective on developments in Chinese climate change south-south policy.
The event ended with a panel discussion and informal talks.
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Thursday 26 March 2015
Wednesday 18 March 2015
ASSAR Kilimanjaro Landscape Field Visit
In the scenic Kilimanjaro Landscape rises Africa's highest peak, surrounded by diverse ecosystems from wetlands to savannah. This landscape covers both Kenya and Tanzania and hosts three national parks: Amboseli, Tsavo west in Kenya and Mkomazi National Park and Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
The ASSAR project team conducted a 5 day field visit from 8th - 12th of February in Kilimanjaro landscape in order to scout for appropriate research sites for the ASSAR project in Kenya. The East Africa team is led by University of East Anglia through Dr. Roger Few.
The field excursion was aimed at identifying communities affected by climate change in semi-arid areas in Kenya, understanding the driver of their vulnerabilities, the coping strategies they employ and the adaptation strategies that vulnerable communities used to respond to longer-term climate risks. This information presented an in-depth understanding of the critical determinants to vulnerability due to climate change in the semi-arid region of Kilimanjaro. The research team conducted interviews and held discussions with key informants in the government, such as agricultural officers, water and wildlife officials. In addition, the research team conducted interviews with community leaders, community members and community conservancy leaders.
The following issues emerged from the field visit:
Given the arid and the semi-arid conditions, the landscape ecosystem was observed to be fragile and even more vulnerable to climate change, with conflicting land use practices further exacerbating the situation, thus calling for integrated approaches in natural resource management as a key adaptation strategy to climate change.
Based on these findings, the research team will be in a better position to select the project sites for the ASSAR project in Kenya.
The ASSAR project team conducted a 5 day field visit from 8th - 12th of February in Kilimanjaro landscape in order to scout for appropriate research sites for the ASSAR project in Kenya. The East Africa team is led by University of East Anglia through Dr. Roger Few.
The field excursion was aimed at identifying communities affected by climate change in semi-arid areas in Kenya, understanding the driver of their vulnerabilities, the coping strategies they employ and the adaptation strategies that vulnerable communities used to respond to longer-term climate risks. This information presented an in-depth understanding of the critical determinants to vulnerability due to climate change in the semi-arid region of Kilimanjaro. The research team conducted interviews and held discussions with key informants in the government, such as agricultural officers, water and wildlife officials. In addition, the research team conducted interviews with community leaders, community members and community conservancy leaders.
The following issues emerged from the field visit:
- Cross cutting demands on land and natural resources were observed to be widespread in the region, with agricultural activities and industrialization taking centre stage. These developments were found to be antagonistic to conservation efforts in the region as they increased pressure on water and land resources with total disregard to wildlife, leading to human - wildlife conflicts, depletion of wetland resources and loss of biodiversity. The Oloitokitok Sub County Government - Agricultural Division, confirmed their efforts in addressing the issues by promoting and facilitating trainings and capacity building forums on sustainable agricultural practices. However, inadequate resources among farmers to embrace sustainable agricultural technologies such as drip irrigation, coupled with minimal efforts by the county leadership to redress land use issues and inadequate/lack of capacity to formulate policies addressing the same, proved to be prime challenges.
- To safeguard water resources quality from adverse impacts, the Water Resource Management Authority (WRMA), a state corporation under the Ministry of Water and irrigation attested their commitment to developing principles, guidelines and procedures for water resource allocation amidst defaulters. Technological advancements in rain water harvesting and irrigation methods were some of the authority's initiatives in reducing pressure on underground water and wetland resources.
- Pastoral communities (at Elerai and Ilmarba conservancies) were seen to have adopted planned grazing in response to climate change and human - wildlife conflict on water and pasture. This was accomplished through merging of communal grazing lands and ranches into conservancies where grazing plans were plotted for both dry and wet spells in full consideration of wildlife needs. Wildlife attraction into the conservancies and sustainable pasture yields for livestock in and out of season were the end results, with communities further utilizing the conservancies for income generation through tourism enterprises such as lodging and camping facilities. The communities also recommended the construction of water pans at strategic points away from the main water points to mitigate human - wildlife conflict and depletion of pasture. Lack of coordination in the establishment of conservancies vis a vis planned grazing at the regional level was observed to be a setback to the initiative as free riders were rampant.
Given the arid and the semi-arid conditions, the landscape ecosystem was observed to be fragile and even more vulnerable to climate change, with conflicting land use practices further exacerbating the situation, thus calling for integrated approaches in natural resource management as a key adaptation strategy to climate change.
Based on these findings, the research team will be in a better position to select the project sites for the ASSAR project in Kenya.
Tuesday 10 March 2015
Supporting sustainable market-based conservation-friendly enterprises that benefit both people and wildlife
Wildlife conservancies in Kenya present a promising avenue through which the community can become direct beneficiaries of wildlife and tourism.
Participation is perhaps the best incentive for communities to conserve and take care of wildlife and other tourism resources. More importantly, the benefits of the Wildlife Conservancies go way beyond conservation and tourism alone to yielding multiple local, national and even international benefits for people by stabilizing regions, improving security, building local capacity, diversifying livelihoods, increasing community resilience, generating prosperity, reducing donor reliance, protecting the natural environment, facilitating access to social services and enhancing local governance. However, the strength, success and sustainability of any conservancy lies within the community that lives therein, and not with any outside agency. Therefore, any effort to empower the local communities whether through capacity building, investments in alternative livelihoods or effective participation in decision making has a direct benefit to sustainability of any wildlife conservancy.
As part INTASAVE Africa's project "Capacity Building for Community Managed Wildlife Areas in Kenya", a collaborative project undertaken with Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA), INTASAVE climate and wildlife experts undertook a community baseline survey field trip to Baringo County. They were visit two community conservancies, undertaking a baseline survey of their existing status, and then develop a business plan for each of them for their future purposes of fundraising from the county government, private investors, and targeted Calls for Proposals.
The following morning we set out for the nearby Kapkuikui shopping center where we would be holding our focus group discussion meeting.
The meeting commenced with us seated on some well-worn rocks underneath a tree on the edge of the shopping centre where we were able to speak to the chairman of the Kapkuikui Livestock Improvement Self Help Group, Mr Kiprop. He provided us with information pertaining to the groups' sustainable acacia honey, which has received acclaim in Baringo County and even in the adjacent Nakuru County. The honey has received Kenya Bureau of Standards certification which speaks volumes as pertains to quality assurance. Through partnership, the Group has been able to market their honey at the nearby Lake Bogoria Spa, Kabarak University in Nakuru County, and a number of retail outlets. The acacia honey will constitute one of the products being marketed by Irong Community Conservancy.
The meeting with members of the Irong Communty Conservancy, comprised of the Endorois ethnic community, as well as stakeholders from Lake Bogoria National Reserve, and Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS), thankfully moved from the baking sun into the much cooler office of the local administrative chief, and revealed ongoing plans to establish the Conservancy as a fully-fledged enterprise. The conservancy is home to the Greater Kudu and the elusive leopard, zebra, and giraffe. Several species of birds are also found in this pristine location which makes it a bird lover's haven. The conservancy has abundant flora and fauna, some endemic to the conservancy, which will serve as a major attraction to tourists, both domestic and international. Its close proximity to Lake Bogoria National Reserve and Lake Bogoria Spa Resort means it is well placed as being part of a package tour within the greater Lake Bogoria ecosystem. The community members were very enthusiastic pertaining to the establishment of the Conservancy and looked forward to the completion of the business plan which they would then actualize through partnership development and marketing.
We then left the humid Lake Bogoria ecosystem in the afternoon and proceeded to Rugus which is adjacent to Lake Baringo, the site of the next conservancy on our itinerary, Ruko Community Wildlife Conservancy. The Conservancy was established in 2006 and falls under the stewardship of Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT), which is an umbrella organisation for a number of conservancies in Northern Kenya, whose mission is to develop resilient community conservancies which transform people's lives, secure peace and conserve natural resources. The following morning, we clambered into a boat and sped across the turquoise blue waters of Lake Baringo headed for the island of Komolion where we would have our focus group discussion with fishermen from the surrounding communities.
Ruko is home to the Njemps and Pokot ethnic communities. The Njemps are pastoralists and fishermen, while the Pokot are pastoralists and cultivators. The business plan to be developed in this conservancy will involve a fish-to-market enterprise which will entail the setting up of a fish processing and refrigeration plant at one of the beach landing sites on the shores of Lake Baringo, with the objective of engaging in value addition of the fish caught by the fishermen, as well as refrigeration of fish. This model would allow the fishermen, who are organised as beach management units (BMUs), to attract better prices for their catch through elimination of exploitative middlemen. The enterprise would also make it possible for the fishermen to procure smart fishing gear, safety equipment such as life jackets, and better boats in the mid-term. Once again the community members were overly enthusiastic about the proposed enterprise and eagerly awaited the business plan so as to propel it to the next level.
This meeting served as the culmination of our baseline surveys and we then bid farewell to our loquacious hosts and returned to the mainland from whence we embarked on the journey back to Nairobi, in awe of Mother Nature's beauty and the important role we, as part of humanity, play as the custodians of the global commons for the benefit of posterity.
Participation is perhaps the best incentive for communities to conserve and take care of wildlife and other tourism resources. More importantly, the benefits of the Wildlife Conservancies go way beyond conservation and tourism alone to yielding multiple local, national and even international benefits for people by stabilizing regions, improving security, building local capacity, diversifying livelihoods, increasing community resilience, generating prosperity, reducing donor reliance, protecting the natural environment, facilitating access to social services and enhancing local governance. However, the strength, success and sustainability of any conservancy lies within the community that lives therein, and not with any outside agency. Therefore, any effort to empower the local communities whether through capacity building, investments in alternative livelihoods or effective participation in decision making has a direct benefit to sustainability of any wildlife conservancy.
As part INTASAVE Africa's project "Capacity Building for Community Managed Wildlife Areas in Kenya", a collaborative project undertaken with Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA), INTASAVE climate and wildlife experts undertook a community baseline survey field trip to Baringo County. They were visit two community conservancies, undertaking a baseline survey of their existing status, and then develop a business plan for each of them for their future purposes of fundraising from the county government, private investors, and targeted Calls for Proposals.
James Mwangi, Senior Project Officer in the Kenya office, tells us about the trip…
The journey from Nairobi to Bogoria in Baringo County commenced on the hot, sweltering afternoon of Tuesday 10th February 2015. We traversed the breathtaking views of the Rift Valley, bypassing the Rift Valley Lakes of Lake Elementaita, Lake Naivasha, and Lake Nakuru before finally arriving at the Lake Bogoria Spa Resort which would be our rest stop for the night. Lake Bogoria Spa Resort is the only Resort in Kenya with a naturally heated Spa pool derived from the natural hot water springs of Lake Bogoria. As such, the temperatures in the environs of the Spa Resort are between 30 - 35 degrees centigrade, and we were to bear testimony to the authenticity of this temperature estimate the next day.The following morning we set out for the nearby Kapkuikui shopping center where we would be holding our focus group discussion meeting.
The meeting commenced with us seated on some well-worn rocks underneath a tree on the edge of the shopping centre where we were able to speak to the chairman of the Kapkuikui Livestock Improvement Self Help Group, Mr Kiprop. He provided us with information pertaining to the groups' sustainable acacia honey, which has received acclaim in Baringo County and even in the adjacent Nakuru County. The honey has received Kenya Bureau of Standards certification which speaks volumes as pertains to quality assurance. Through partnership, the Group has been able to market their honey at the nearby Lake Bogoria Spa, Kabarak University in Nakuru County, and a number of retail outlets. The acacia honey will constitute one of the products being marketed by Irong Community Conservancy.
The meeting with members of the Irong Communty Conservancy, comprised of the Endorois ethnic community, as well as stakeholders from Lake Bogoria National Reserve, and Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS), thankfully moved from the baking sun into the much cooler office of the local administrative chief, and revealed ongoing plans to establish the Conservancy as a fully-fledged enterprise. The conservancy is home to the Greater Kudu and the elusive leopard, zebra, and giraffe. Several species of birds are also found in this pristine location which makes it a bird lover's haven. The conservancy has abundant flora and fauna, some endemic to the conservancy, which will serve as a major attraction to tourists, both domestic and international. Its close proximity to Lake Bogoria National Reserve and Lake Bogoria Spa Resort means it is well placed as being part of a package tour within the greater Lake Bogoria ecosystem. The community members were very enthusiastic pertaining to the establishment of the Conservancy and looked forward to the completion of the business plan which they would then actualize through partnership development and marketing.
We then left the humid Lake Bogoria ecosystem in the afternoon and proceeded to Rugus which is adjacent to Lake Baringo, the site of the next conservancy on our itinerary, Ruko Community Wildlife Conservancy. The Conservancy was established in 2006 and falls under the stewardship of Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT), which is an umbrella organisation for a number of conservancies in Northern Kenya, whose mission is to develop resilient community conservancies which transform people's lives, secure peace and conserve natural resources. The following morning, we clambered into a boat and sped across the turquoise blue waters of Lake Baringo headed for the island of Komolion where we would have our focus group discussion with fishermen from the surrounding communities.
Ruko is home to the Njemps and Pokot ethnic communities. The Njemps are pastoralists and fishermen, while the Pokot are pastoralists and cultivators. The business plan to be developed in this conservancy will involve a fish-to-market enterprise which will entail the setting up of a fish processing and refrigeration plant at one of the beach landing sites on the shores of Lake Baringo, with the objective of engaging in value addition of the fish caught by the fishermen, as well as refrigeration of fish. This model would allow the fishermen, who are organised as beach management units (BMUs), to attract better prices for their catch through elimination of exploitative middlemen. The enterprise would also make it possible for the fishermen to procure smart fishing gear, safety equipment such as life jackets, and better boats in the mid-term. Once again the community members were overly enthusiastic about the proposed enterprise and eagerly awaited the business plan so as to propel it to the next level.
This meeting served as the culmination of our baseline surveys and we then bid farewell to our loquacious hosts and returned to the mainland from whence we embarked on the journey back to Nairobi, in awe of Mother Nature's beauty and the important role we, as part of humanity, play as the custodians of the global commons for the benefit of posterity.
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