The GEF-funded project on “Strengthening Forest Management for Improved Biodiversity Conservation and Climate Resilience in the Southern Rangelands of Kenya” will be implemented by the National Environment Management Authority of Kenya (NEMA) in close coordination with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
PROJECT'S GOAL
To support a functioning and resilient dryland forest landscape that supports a sustainable economic and food production through integrated natural management.
OBJECTIVES
- To develop Community enterprises and livelihood value chains based on sustainable use of natural resources in the drylands.
- To improve effective governance of land resources through strengthening of community-level organizations, National and County governments.
- Implementation of local resource management and restoration plans by the community units and local authorities.
- To coordinate the management on an integrated dryland landscapes knowledge exchange and management platform.
KEY COMPONENTS:
I. Strengthening the enabling environment for the sustainable management of drylands;
II. Investment in scaling up sustainable dryland management;
III. Programmatic coordination, monitoring and knowledge management.
The project has been designed in careful consideration of the national priorities of Kenya, including the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda, the needs of the local pastoral community and the lessons from past and ongoing initiatives in similar ecosystems.
The proposed holistic approach will link income-generating activities (e.g. livestock marketing, horticulture value chain, eco- tourism) with sustainable environmental management activities.
Therefore, the project is creating a bridge between development needs and environmental activities. By building the communities’ capacities and supporting them to derive more benefits from sustainable activities, the project is paving the way for innovations at local or landscape level in terms of natural resources management and conservation.
PROJECT AREA
The project is being implemented in Kajiado and Narok counties.
Kajiado county sits about 2° 0’0” S, 36° 52’ 0.12” E South of the equator. The county is divided into five administrative sub-counties namely: Kajiado North, Kajiado East; Kajiado West, Kajiado South and Kajiado Central with a total of 101 and 212 administrative locations and sub-locations respectively. The project will take place in Kajiado West.
To the West of Kajiado is Narok County.
Narok County lies between latitudes 0° 50 ́ and 1° 50 ́ South and longitude 35o 28 ́ and 36o 25 ́ East and covers an area of 17,933 km2 representing 3.1% of Kenya. The County is administratively divided into 6 sub-counties (Kilgoris, Emurua Dikirr, Narok North, Narok East, Narok South, Narok West) and 30 wards. The project will take place in two sub counties: Narok East and Narok South.
PROJECT THEORY OF CHANGE
The goal of the project is to restore degraded rangeland resources- forests, wildlife, soils and water thereby restoring the integrity of the ecosystem, improving wildlife conservation, improving people’s livelihoods and enhance resilience (of both livelihoods and ecosystem) to climate change.
All the drivers of negative processes in the environment will need to be reversed: governance systems improvement will lead to sustainable management of the rangelands which will in turn influence investment decisions.
Improved ecosystems and governance systems will attract more investments in tourism and livestock value chains that will improve the payments for ecosystem services and goods. All the lessons learned will be used to influence policy and build the local people’s capacity to sustain the benefits of the project.
PROJECT STAKEHOLDERS
Successful implementation of the project will depend on the active participation of stakeholders. To ensure the sustainability of the project’s activities, stakeholder involvement is recognized as an integral requirement.
The National Environment Management Authority is the Executing Agency, and the key stakeholders recognize and embrace the need for this direct involvement by all stakeholders in the project process.
PRIMARY STAKEHOLDERS
1. Government Agencies at National Level: NEMA and KALRO, NETFUND
2. Government Agencies at County Level: NEMA- Green Points, Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Department
of Water, Irrigation Environment and
3. Natural Resources, County Environment Committees
4. Civil Society Organizations: South Rift Association of Land Owners (SORALO)
5. Private sector: TATA Chemicals, Meat Naturally
6. International organizations: African Conservation . Centre (ACC)
7. Research institutions and universities: International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
DOWNLOAD the GEF-7 Strethening Forest Management Booklet
Popo Road,South C, off Mombasa Road
P.O.BOX 67839-00200, Nairobi. Kenya
Mobile: 0724 253398, 0735 013046.
Email: info@nema.go.ke