| v| �

1. Introduction..............................3

2. Profile of project sites..............4

3. Selected case studies................5

4. Other project impacts...............9

5. Best practices.........................13

6. Lessons learnt........................14

7. Recommendations for biodiversitypolicy-making and implementation...............15

BirdLife.International.is.a.global.partnership.of.non-governmental.organisations.striving.to.conserve.birds,. their.habitats,.and.global.biodiversity,.working.with.people,. towards.sustainable.use.of.natural.resources..Currently,.the.partnership.works.in.more.than.116.countries. through.117.national. grassroot. conservation.NGO’s.. In.Africa,. the.BirdLife.Africa. Partnership. is. a. growing. network. of. 23. such. organisations. plus. one. Country.Programme,.covering.24.countries,.with.a.combined.total.of.more.than.300.staff.and.30,000.members..Partners.are.involved.in.research,.conservation.action,.environmental.education.and.sustainable.development.through.a.broad.agenda.focusing.not.only.on.birds.but.also.on.other.fauna.and.flora.and.social.issues.such.as.poverty.alleviation.

BirdLife. International. is. a.UK. registered. charity.with.an.African.Partnership. Secretariat.registered.as.a.Non-Governmental.Organisation.in.Kenya.

All. rights. reserved..No.part.of. this.publication.may.be. reproduced,. stored. in. retrieval.system.or.transmitted.in.any.form.or.by.any.means,.electronic,.electrical,.chemical,.optical,.through.photocopying,.recording.or.otherwise.without.prior.permission.of.the.publisher.

For.further.information,.please.contact:BirdLife.Africa.Partnership.Secretariat

Volker’s.Garden.on.Terrace.Close,.Off.Rhapta.Road,.WestlandsP.O..Box.3502-00100.GPO.Nairobi..|..Tel:.+254.20.2473259..|..Fax:.+254.20.8068314

Email:.birdlife-africa@birdlife.org..|..Website:.www.birdlife.org

Compiled.and. Edited.by:

Ken.Mwathe,.Paul.Mugo,.Venancia.Ndoo,.Evelyn.Runjugi.and.Paul.Ndang’ang’a,.BirdLife Africa Secretariat, Nairobi, Kenya

Contributors: Carolyn.Ah.Shene-Verdoorn.(BirdLife South Africa),.Joan.Gichuki.(Nature Kenya). and. Geremew. Gebre. Selassie. (Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society)

Published.by: BirdLife.Africa.Partnership.Secretariat,.Nairobi,.Kenya..Copyright.©.2012.BirdLife.International

Citation:BirdLife.International.(2012)..Conserving.Nature,.Improving.lives:.Lessons.Learnt.from.BirdLife.International’s.Improving.Livelihood.Projects..BirdLife.International.Africa.Partnership.

Reproduction.of.this.publication.for.educational.and.any.other.non-commercial.purposes.is.authorised.without.prior.written.permission.from.the.copyright.holder.provided.the.source.is.fully.acknowledged..Reproduction.of.this.publication.for.resale.or.other.commercial.purposes.is.prohibited.without.prior.written.permission.of.the.copyright.holder

Design,.layout. and.printing:

Irene.Ogendo,.Dezine Creationz Ltd.,.Tel:.+254.020.2678052/3;Cell:.+254.(0)721-344225/722-206236

ContentsABoUt BIRDLIFe InteRnAtIonAL

Cover photosfrom top to bottom:

The.Dakatcha.Woodlands©.Nature Kenya

The.Mekatilili.wa.Menza.Cultural.group©.Venancia Ndoo

SSG.members.during.a.bird.watching.exercise.at.Dakatcha,.Kenya.©.Nature Kenya

A.biodiversity.monitoring.exercise.at.Yala.SSG©.Nature Kenya

Beneficiaries.of.the.Igugulethu.vegetablegarden.tunnel.©.BLSA

vi | � |

Background

This.booklet.summarises.the.results.of.a.project.implemented.by.BirdLife.International.in.Kenya,.Ethiopia.and.South.Africa..The.project.titled ‘Consolidating gains in Policy Making and Livelihoods Improvement through Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources’. involved. the.following.BirdLife.partners1:.Nature.Kenya,.Ethiopian.Wildlife.and. Natural. History. Society. (EWNHS). and. BirdLife. South.Africa. (BLSA).. It. was. implemented. between. 2010–2012.and. was. funded. by. the. Spanish. Agency. for. International.Development.Cooperation.(AECID)..The.aim.of.the.project.was.to.improve.the.livelihoods.of.local.communities.through.sustainable.use.of.biodiversity.and.natural. resources.at. six.sites. in. the. three. countries,. while. influencing. policies. at.all. levels.. It. also. focused. on. enhancing. the. resilience. of.community. livelihoods. and. conservation. activities. that.

reduce. climate. change. vulnerability. while. at. the. same. time.reducing. pressure. on. natural. resources.. The. project. was.implemented. with. technical. support. from. the. BirdLife. Africa.Partnership.Secretariat.in.Nairobi,.Kenya.

BirdLife.wanted.to.achieve.the.following.through.this.project:

. Improve. the. livelihoods. of. local. communities. in. Africa. by.promoting.sustainable.use.of.renewable.natural.resources..

. Increase. participation. of. local. communities. and. BirdLife.partners.in.poverty.reduction.and.biodiversity.policy.making.and.implementation..

. Build.the.capacity.of.Site.Support.Groups.(SSGs)2.and.African.NGOs.on.their.rights.to.own,.sustainably.use.and.effectively.manage.natural.resources..

2 Site Support Groups (SSGs) are organised, independent groups of voluntary individuals who work in partnership with relevant stakeholders, to promote conservation and sustainable development at key biodiversity sites.

1.0IntRoDUCtIon

Hell’s Kitchen, spectacular geological formations at Dakatcha Woodlands Kenya, one of the project sites © Nature Kenya

“Africa faces crippling levels of poverty inspite of enormous wealth in

natural resources. This project has made a

significant contribution in bridging this gap.”

Ken Mwathe,Policy and Advocacy Manager,

BirdLife International.

1 BirdLife Partners are membership-based NGOs who represent BirdLife in their own territory. They are involved in research, conservation action, environmental education and sustainable development through a broad agenda focusing on birds, other fauna and flora, and socio-economic issues such as poverty alleviation.

| v| �

BirdLife.partners.in.three.participating.countries.worked.with.local.communities.at.six.sites.all.of.which.were.Important.Bird.Areas.(IBAs)3.

South AfricaBirdLife. South. Africa. took. the. lead. in. project.implementation. working. at. two. sites;. Wakkerstroom.(27°21’19”S,. 30°09’17”E). and. Chrissiesmeer.(26°17’40”S,.30°13’18”E).

Wakkerstroom Wakkerstroom.is.an.IBA.located.within.the.Grassland.Biosphere.Reserve.in.the.province.of.Mpumalanga.situated.in.the.eastern.part.of.South.Africa..The.site.is.a.marsh;.predominantly.a.mosaic.of.Carex.and.Leersia.grass.which.hold.a.significant.proportion.of.the.globally.endangered.bird,.White-winged.Flufftail.(Sarothrura ayresi).

Chrissiesmeer Chrissiesmeer.is.located.in.Mpumalanga.Province,.in.Chrissie.Pans.which.is.an.IBA.comprising.of.a.system.of.over.320.remarkable.varieties.of.water.pans,.important.for.several.threatened.water-bird.and.migratory.bird.species..Species.present.in.large.numbers.include. the. Grey. Crowned. Crane. (Balearica regulorum),. the.Chestnut-banded. Plover. (Charadrius pallidus). and. the. African.Marsh.Harrier.(Circus ranivorus)..

EthiopiaThe. Ethiopian. Wildlife. and. Natural. History. Society. (EWNHS).implemented.the.project.in.cooperation.with.two.SSGs.at.Berga.and.Abijata.Shalla,. located.70.and.80.kilometres. from.Addis.Ababa,.respectively.

Berga

The. Berga. Floodplain. IBA,. in. the.North-Western. highlands. of.Ethiopia,.holds.several.globally.threatened.species.of.birds.and.3 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) are sites of international significance for the conservation of

birds and other biodiversity recognized worldwide as practical tools for conservation.

is.the.world’s.premier.breeding.site.for.the.endangered.White-winged.Flufftail..

Abijata Shalla Abijata. Shalla. Lakes. National. Park. comprises. of. the. land.between.Lakes.Abijatta.and.Shalla. in. the.East.Shewa.Zone. in.Ethiopia’s.Central.rift..This.is.an.IBA.with.significant.numbers.of.congregatory.waterbirds.occurring.on.the.lakes..Two.Ethiopian.endemic. birds. occur,.the. Yellow-fronted. Parrot. (Poicephalus flavifrons).and.the.Banded.Barbet.(Lybius undatus),.along.with.at.least.seven.Afrotropical.highlands.biome.species.

KenyaNature.Kenya,. the.BirdLife. Partner. in.Kenya,. implemented. the.project.at.two.sites:.Dakatcha.Woodlands.and.Yala.Swamp.

Yala This.site.is.located.in.the.delta.of.the.Yala.River,.in.the.North.Eastern.shore.of.Lake.Victoria..The.Yala.Swamp.Complex.is.an.important.site.for.East.Africa’s.papyrus.endemic.birds..These.include.the.Papyrus.Yellow.Warbler.(Chloropeta gracilirostris),.the.Carruthers’s.Cisticola. (Cisticola carruthersi),. the.White-winged.Scrub-warbler.(Bradypterus carpalis).and.the.Papyrus.Canary.(Serinus koliensis).

DakatchaDakatcha.is.an.extensive.tract.of.relatively.intact.coastal woodland,.north.of.the.Sabaki.River..It.is.home.to.the.globally.endangered.Clarke’s. Weaver. (Ploceus golandi) and. Sokoke. Pipit. (Anthus sokokensis)..The.Dakatcha.Woodland.has.been.threatened.by.large.scale.biofuel.crop.plantations.since.2008..

PRoFILe oF PRojeCt sItes2.0

“The success in improving people’s lives cannot be achieved without a link between

action at site and national level. This project has exemplified this synergy.”

Venancia Wambua, Project Officer, Livelihoods Improvement, BirdLife International

vi | � |

The globally endangered Clarke’s Weaverat Dakatcha Woodlands © Steve Garvie

seLeCteD CAse stUDIes

Case study 1:Environmental Advocacy at

Dakatcha Woodlands, Kenya

The. Dakatcha. Woodlands. are. important. for. their. unique.biodiversity.notably.the.globally.endangered.Clarke’s.Weaver.

The problem

In.2009,.a.proposal.by.Kenya.Jatropha.Energy.Ltd.,.a.company.owned. wholly. by. the. Italian. firm,. Nuove. Iniziative. Industriali,.submitted. an. application. to. clear. the. forest. of. 50,000. ha. to.grow.Jatropha Curcas,.a.crop.whose.seeds.produce.oil.used.to.make.bio-diesel..The.biodiesel.would.principally.be.destined.for.the.European.market..This.coupled.with.illegal.charcoal.burning.in.the.woodlands.would.devastate.this.unique.environment.and.its. priceless.biodiversity.. It.would.also.deprive. the.people.of. a.precious. natural. resource.. The. forest. supports. over. 20,000.people.from.the.Watha.and.Giriama.tribes.who.faced.eviction.to.make.way.for.the.Project.

The Intervention

With. support. from.BirdLife. International. and. the. Royal. Society.for. the. protection. of. Birds. (RSPB)4,. Nature. Kenya. carried. out.extensive.advocacy.at.national.and.international.levels.to.protect.the. woodland. from. destruction.. In. April. 2011,. Nature. Kenya.made.a.presentation.on.the.impacts.of.the.jatropha.plantation.to.more.than.700.members.of.the.Royal.Society.for.the.Protection.of.Birds.(RSPB)..

Nature.Kenya,.RSPB.and.Action.Aid.commissioned.a.Life.Cycle.Analysis. (LCA). study. to. determine. levels. of. carbon. emission.reductions.that.would.be.achieved.by.the.proposed.project..The.study.found.that.biofuels.made.from.jatropha.grown.at.Dakatcha.would.produce.2.5.to.6.times.higher.carbon.emissions.than.fossil.fuel.equivalents..The.Dakatcha.biofuels.would.also.fail.to.meet.4 The RSPB is the BirdLife partner in UK, a charity working to secure a healthy environment for

birds and wildlife, helping to create a better world for all.

EUs. sustainability. criteria. as. set. out. in. the. Renewable. Energy.Directive.(RED)5..The.LCA.became.a.major.advocacy.tool.against.the.conversion.of.the.woodland.into.Jatropha.plantations.

On. 3rd. May. 2011,. Nature. Kenya. made. a. presentation. to. a.full.capacity.audience.at.the.EU.Parliament.on.the.results.of.the.Life.Cycle.Analysis..On.10th.May.2011,.Nature.Kenya.made.a.similar.presentation.to.members.of.the.UK.parliament.

Local. communities. in.Dakatcha. formed.a.Charcoal. Producers.Association.to.engage.in.sustainable.production.of.charcoal.and.register.all.charcoal.producers.in.the.woodland.

5 The EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED) requires 10% of transport energy to be renewable by 2020 and most member states plan to meet this almost entirely through biofuels.

3.0

“The success in improving people’s lives cannot be achieved without a link between

action at site and national level. This project has exemplified this synergy.”

Venancia Wambua, Project Officer, Livelihoods Improvement, BirdLife International

| v| �

The results

. At. the. local. level,. local. communities. were. involved. in.consultation.meetings.by.the.investors.and.NEMA.in.which.they.rejected.the.Jatropha.proposal..

. Due.to.the.advocacy.efforts.the.Dakatcha.was.highlighted.in.local.and. international.media.drawing.support.against. the.proposed.Jatropha.Plantation..

. In. July.2011,.Rainforest. Rescue6. started.an.online.petition.calling. upon. Kenyan. authorities. not. to. destroy. Dakatcha.Woodland..Nature.Kenya.provided.the.text.for.the.petition..Over.17,200.people.sent.protest.letters.to.Kenyan.authorities..See. the. link:. https://www.regenwald.org/mailalert/721/kemia-rettet-den-dalatcha-wald.

. In. February. 2012. the. National. Environment. Management.Authority.(NEMA).rejected.the.Jatropha Curcas.project.and.advised.the.developer.to.look.for.an.alternative.site..See.the.link. for. more. information:. http://www.naturekenya.org/content/dakatcha.

. The. involvement. of. Dakatcha. SSG. members. in. Clarke’s.Weaver.Monitoring.Survey.resulted.in.a.positive.change.in.the.community,.increasing.awareness.of.the.value.of.the.woodland.and.publicity.on.the.endangered.species..

. The.charcoal.producers.association.proved.useful.in.reducing.illegal. charcoal. production. by. Dakatcha. community.members.

.

6 A not-for-profit organisation that protects and restores rainforests in Australia and internationally

Case study 2:Livelihoods improvement at

Abijata Shalla, Ethiopia

Ethiopia’s.Central.Rift.Valley.(CRV),.is.one.of.the.country’s.most.fragile.areas.as.a.result.of.habitat.loss,.mainly..that.of.Acacia..

The Problem

Besides. the. alarming. depletion. of. Acacia. due. to. increased.charcoal. burning. to. meet. the. demands. of. urban. dwellers,.grazing. land. in. the.area.was.heavily. degraded.as.a. result. of.local. community’s. over-dependence. on. diminishing. natural.resources..The.drivers.of.land.degradation.were.overgrazing.and.poor.rangeland.management.systems..

The Intervention

EWNHS. put. in. place. a. well. co-ordinated,. ecologically. sound.livelihoods.improvement.programme.aimed.at.raising.productivity.of. the.area.by. setting.up.a.Site.Support.Group. (Abijata–Shalla.Environmental. Degradation. Mitigating. Group).. Through. the.SSG,. it. was. easy. to. reach. the. local. community. and. sensitise.them.on. sustainable.use.of.natural. resources.and.conservation.of.biodiversity..This.was.done.through.introduction.of.alternative.sustainable. livelihoods. initiatives. like. a. revolving. fund,. a. micro.credit.scheme,.indigenous.tree.planting.and.keeping.of.improved.Borana.cattle.breed.which.is.fast.growing,.fertile.and.a.good.milk.producer.compared.to.other.indigenous.cattle.breeds.in.Ethiopia..

Conservation. activities.were. also. introduced.. They. included.the.construction.of.5.kilometres. square.of. soil. conservation.structures.(soil.terracing,.check.dams,.and.water.ways);.land.rehabilitation. by. seclusion. and. fencing. off. to. address. land.degradation.. EWNHS.also. raised. community. awareness.on.the.need.to.conserve.natural.resources.and.biodiversity..The.SSG. was. also. involved. in. the. celebration. of. national. and.international.environmental.events..

“Leadership and governance training has proved effective in enhancing the

capacity of local communities to engage government and other stakeholders in

Environmental issues.”Joan Gichuki, Local Empowerment Manager, Nature Kenya

vi | � |

The results

Capacity. building. and. livelihood. improvement. outcomes. for.members.of.the.SSG.included:

. At.Abijata. Shalla. SSG,.40.men.and.10.women. improved.monthly.incomes.from.birr.50.(Approx..USD.2.76).to.birr.120.per.person.(Approx..USD.6.63).from.grain.trade.

. Training.in.Livestock.Health.and.Management.was.conducted.for. 15. members. who. received. 25. Boran. improved. breed.heifers..Eighteen.were. trained.on.Co-operative.and.Micro-Credit.Management.Skills..Members.also.attended.a.two-day.IBA.monitoring.training.workshop..

. A. 7m. x. 8m. grain. store. was. constructed. and. is. now.operational.

. Birr. 90,000. (Approx.. USD. 5,000). were. injected. into. a.revolving.fund.scheme.

. 200. quintals. of. maize. (Approx.. 20,000. Kilograms). were.purchased.and.stored.for.resale..

BirdLife team with some of the beneficiaries of Improved breedin Abijatta Shalla, Ethiopia © BirdLife International

“This initiative has clearly demonstrated that it is possible to

improve people’s lives while sustainably managing the resource base.”

Geremew Gebreselassie, Programme officer, EWNHS

. Celebration. of. major. occasions. included. the. World. Birds.Festival. during. the. World. Migratory. Birds. Day. which. was.celebrated.at.Abijata.Shalla.Lakes.National.Park..

. There.was.regeneration.of.vegetation.in.the.enclosed.terraced.areas.. This. practice. was. replicated. on. private. holdings. by.community. members.. Twenty. (20). hectares. of. enclosure.resulted.in.improvement.of.vegetation.cover.and.some.wildlife.started.moving.into.these.areas..

An area undergoing vegetation regenerationat Abijatta Shalla © EWNHS

| v| �

Case study 3:

Sustainable use of Natural Resources at Wakkerstroom,

South Africa

This. IBA. holds. a. significant. proportion. of. the. globally.endangered.White-winged.Flufftail.(Sarothrura ayresi).

The problemThe. local,. impoverished. communities. living. in. and. around.Wakkerstroom. faced.high. levels.of.poverty.. There.was. lack.of.awareness.or.understanding.of.the.significance.of.this.site.and.the.role.it.could.play.to.improve.their.livelihoods..The.site.was.threatened.by.mining.and.prospecting.in.the.surrounding.areas.and.the.situation.was.exacerbated.by.a.serious. lack.of.service.delivery.by.the.local.municipality..

The InterventionCapacity.building.of.the.Wakkerstroom.SSG.was.done.through:.

. Engagement. of. the. local. people. in. understanding. the.significance.of.the.site..

. A. series. of. Income.Generating.Activities. (IGAs). for. livelihood.enhancement.–.wood.carving.and.vegetable.garden.projects.

. Developing. advocacy. and. entrepreneurial. capacity. of.community.members..

. Upgrading. of. irrigation. system. and. the. Installation. of.vegetable. tunnel.which.allows. for. planting.and.harvesting.during.winter..

The results

. 2.men.and.13.women.operating.the.Igugulethu.Vegetable.garden. improved. their. monthly. income. from. 100. Rand.(Approx..USD.12.20).to.150.Rand.(Approx..USD.18.20).

. 5.men.operating.the.Indalo.wood.carving.project.increased.the.monthly.income.from.300.Rand.(Approx..USD.36.50).to.500.Rand.(Approx..USD.60.80).

. 5.members.of.the.Vegetable.Garden.and.3.members.of.the.Wood. Carving. project. attended. an. Environmental. Rights.Workshop..The.workshop.developed.an.Environmental.Rights.Booklet.available.in.both.English.and.Zulu.languages..

. 4. members. of. the. Vegetable. Garden,. 2. members. of. the.Wood. Carving. project. and. 1. member. of. the. Farmers.Association.attended.a.Business.Course.

The Wakkerstroom vegetable garden project © BLSABeneficiaries of the wood carving project selling their carvingsat Wakkies during the Wakkies festival © BLSA

vi | � |

INtRoDuctIoN

Besides.the.examples.given.in.the.case.studies,.other.impacts.are.enumerated.in.this.section..They.are.divided.into:

(i). Improved.livelihoods.(ii). Policy.influence.(iii). Contribution.to.biodiversity.conservation.(iv). Training.and.capacity.building,.and(v). Increased. partnerships. and. collaboration. with.

stakeholders.

Income.generating. activities.were. initiated. through. sustainable.utilisation.of.biological.resources.

Improved livelihoods

In Ethiopia:

. At. Berga,. 9. men. and. 3. women. improved. their. monthly.income.from.birr.150.(Approx..USD.8.30).to.birr.250.(Approx..USD.13.90).from.cattle.fattening.

In Kenya:

. At.Yala,.five.new.papyrus.products.were.developed.(lampshades,.stools,.magazine.racks,.chairs,.trays),.the.group.earned.Ksh..15,000.(Approx..USD.178.10).in.the.initial.year.

In South Africa:

. Event. catering. equipments. worth. 48,000. Rand. (Approx..USD.5,860).were.purchased.for.Ulusha.Event.Management.co-operative.at.Chrissiesmeer.

Policy Influence

Policy. influence.was.done.at. national. and. International. levels..BirdLife.partners.and.the.Secretariat.were.involved.during.policy.formulation,.review.and.implementation:

(a) National Level:

In Kenya:

. Nature.Kenya.actively.participated.in.ongoing.environmental.policy. reviews. necessitated. by. promulgation. of. the. new.constitution,.e.g..Wildlife.Bill,.Wetlands.Bill.and.Forest.Bill.

. Two. members. of. Yala. SSG. and. 2. Members. of. Dakatcha.attended.the.national.SSG.workshop.in.November.2011.with.the. theme. “Environmental. Policy. and. Legislative.Framework”.

. At.Dakatcha.and.Yala,.participation. in.policy. review.at. the.local.level.increased.as.the.local.communities.capacity.was.enhanced. through. leadership. training..The.community.was.now.able.to.engage.government.agencies.in.different.forums.such.as. the.District. Environmental.Committees.and.District.Development.Committee.

In South Africa:

. Review.and.analysis.of.the.National.Climate.Change.Response.Strategy,. the.National.Biodiversity.Strategy.and.Action.Plan.and.the.National.Development.Plan,.was.done.

In Ethiopia:

. EWNHS. did. a. Review. and. Analysis. of. the. Biodiversity-Adaptation. Linkages. in. National. Policies. including. The.Environment. Policy,. The. Biodiversity. Policy,. The. Biodiversity.Strategy. and. Action. Plan,. The. Wildlife. Policy. (2005),. The.National. Adaptation. Program. of. Action,. The. Rural.Development.Policy.and.the.Poverty.Reduction.Strategy.Paper..These.policies.were.analysed. for. recognition.of. the. role.of.biodiversity.and.ecosystems.in.livelihoods.improvements..

(b) Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and key Institutions

Policy. influence. at. key. meetings. and. collaboration. with. Key.Institutions.was.achieved..This.involved:

. The. African. Ministerial. Conference. on. the. Environment.(AMCEN).meeting.in.Mali.in.2011..

otheR PRojeCt ImPACts 4.0

| v| 10

. The. United. Nations. Framework. Convention. on. Climate.Change.(UNFCCC).Conference.of.Parties.(COP.17).meeting.in.Durban.(Nov/Dec.2011).

. The. United. Nations. Convention. on. Biological. Diversity.(UNCBD).COP10.in.Nagoya,.Japan.in.October,.2010.

. The.Convention.on.Migratory.Species.(CMS).COP10.held.in.Bergen,.Norway.in.November.2011.

. The.African-Eurasian.Migratory.Waterbird.Agreement.(AEWA).meeting.in.France.in.May,.2012.

. Key.institutions.were.engaged.in.policy.dialogue.including:.United. Nations. Environment. Programme. (UNEP),.International.Union. for.Conservation.of.Nature. (IUCN),.World.Wildlife.Fund.(WWF),.African.Union.(AU),.East.African.Community. (EAC),. Southern. African. Development.Community. (SADC).and. the.New.Partnership. for.Africa’s.Development.NEPAD.

contribution to biodiversity conservation

The.project.offset.negative.impacts.and.supported.the.sustainable.use.of.biodiversity:.In Kenya:

. Dakatcha.Community.Forest.Association.(CFA).was.registered.with.the.Registrar.of.societies.earning.recognition.to.engage.with.Kenya.Forest.Service.in.management.of.the.woodland.

Biodiveristy monitoring training at Yala Swamp IBA, Kenya © Nature Kenya

BirdLife delegates at a morning briefing meeting during the UNFCCCCOP17 in Durban, South Africa, December 2011 © Ken Mwathe

Policy analysis reportfor Ethiopia © EWNHS

vi | 11 |

. At.Yala.following.training.in.efficient.use.of.natural.materials,.the.use.of.Papyrus.to.develop.products.reduced.by.50–60%.allowing. for. regeneration. and. leaving. more. habitats. for.wetland.species.

. World.Bird.Migration.day.and.World.Environmental.Day.events.were. held. in. 2011. and. 2012. both. in. Yala. and. Dakatcha.attracting.more.than.4,000.members.from.the.public,.government.officers.from.line.ministries.and.other.stakeholders.

. Massive. fuel. wood. use. by. salt. factories. that. would. have.endangered.Dakatcha.woodland.and.forest.resources.North.of.Malindi.was.banned.by.the.environment.agency.NEMA.

In Ethiopia:

. At. Berga,. a. 20. km. stretch. of. terraced. sub-watershed.overlooking.the.wetland.was.planted.with.Vetiver.and.Desho.grass. seedlings. which. are. good. for. soil. and. water.conservation..

. The.World.Birds.Festival.was.observed.on.the.occasion.of.the.World.Migratory.Birds.Day.under.the.theme.“Land.Use.Change.from.the.Bird’s.Eye.View”.on.14th.May.2011.

. At.Berga,.over.35,000.assorted.tree.seedlings.were.planted.on.private.holdings.of.farmers.and.on.the.site.managed.by.the.Site.Support.Group.

In South Africa:

. At. Wakkerstroom,. approximately. 1. hectare. of. land. was.cleared. of. exotic/alien. trees. and. shrubs. to. improve. water.supply.and.flow.in.the.community..

. The.World.Wetlands.Day.2012,.National.Bird.Week.2012.and. BirdLife. International’s. Spring. Alive. Campaign. were.celebrated.at.both.sites.

training and capacity Building

Regionally:

The.Advocacy,.Site.Casework.and.Policy.Training.Seminar.was.organised.by.BirdLife.International,.in.collaboration.with.the.Royal.Society. for. the.Protection.of.Birds.(RSPB). took.place. in.Nairobi.on.24th–27th.June.2012..It.drew.17.participants.from.fourteen.

African. countries. who. became. focal. points. for. policy. in. their.respective.countries.

In Ethiopia:

. At. Berga,. 20. members. were. trained. in. Co-operative. and.Micro-Credit. Management. Skills.. Members. also. attended.two.days.training.in.IBA/Biodiversity.Monitoring.

Abandoned Jatropha Curcas nursery by the KenyaJatropha Energy Limited © Ken Mwathe

Participants at the regional Policy, Site Casework and Advocacytraining in Nairobi, June, 2012 © Tiwonge Mzumara

| v| 1�

. At. Yala,. 20. community. members. were. trained. in. Value.Addition.for.mat.making.business.and.18.others.trained.in.IBA/Biodiversity.Monitoring.

. 42.community. .members.were. trained. in.Forest.Protection.and.Policing.and.commenced.forest.patrols..

In South Africa:

. At. Chrissiesmeer,. 27. students. of. Lake. Chrissie. Secondary.School. attended. the. IBA/Biodiversity. and. Monitoring.workshop.in.conservation.pointing.them.to.possible.careers.

Increased Partnerships and collaboration with Stakeholders

In Kenya:

. In. addressing. various. environmental. issues,. Nature. Kenya.worked. collaboratively. with. . Kenya. Forest. Service. (KFS),.Kisumu. Innovation. Centre. (KICK),. Ministry. of. Culture. and.Social. Services,. National. Environmental. Management.Authority.(NEMA),.Kenya.WildLife.Service.(KWS).and.the.East.Africa.Wildlife.Society.(EAWS).

.In Ethiopia:

. The. EWNHS. worked. in. collaboration. with. Forum. for.Environment-Assela. to. support. the. Arbor. Day/Tree. Day.Celebration.in.Assela.to.commemorate.the.International.Year.for.Forests..

. EWNHS.also.worked.with.Agricultural.and.Rural.Development.offices,. Environment. and. Land. Administration. offices,.Cooperative. Promotion. offices,. Culture. and. Tourism. and.other.Administrative.offices.

In South Africa:

. BirdLife.South.Africa.conducted.Biodiversity.monitoring.and.reporting. in. partnership. with;. Endangered. Wildlife. Trust,.Mpumalanga.Tourism.and.Parks.Agency,.Mpumalanga.Lakes.District.Protection.Group.and.Wits.Bird.Club..

In Kenya:

. At.Dakatcha,.2.members.attended.an.Advanced.Training.in.Beekeeping.at.Baraka.College. in.Molo.and.25. trained. in.Leadership,.Group.Management.and.Visitor.Handling.

Group discussion during a biodiversity monitoring workshopat Chriessiesmeer, South Africa © BirdLife South Africa

“It is remarkable that people now understand

the significance of IBAs and the value these sites

play in providing ecosystem services vital for addressing

poverty.”Carolyn Ah Shene-Verdoorn,

Policy and Advocacy Manager, BirdLife South Africa

vi | 1� |

The.following.best.practices.are.distilled.and.shared.to.inform.future.capacity.building,policy.influencing.and.livelihood.improvement.efforts..

BESt PRActIcE EXAMPLE

1Demonstrate positive linkages between biodiversity monitoring, conservation and livelihood benefits to yield positive results

. BirdLife.South.Africa.ensured.that.the.community.members.worked.and.earned.income.depending.on.the.effort.they.put.into.the.project.

. At.Dakatcha,.publicity.of.Clarke’s.Weaver.as.an.endangered.species.helped.in.changing.attitudes.among.local.community..Local.people.were.able.to.view.it.as.a. source.of. income. through.eco-tourism..They.also. took.part. in.biodiversity.surveys.

2Building capacity through training should be followed up quickly with actual work otherwise the benefits may be lost

. At.Dakatcha,.42.community.members.were. trained. in.Forest.Protection.and.Policing.and.were.able.to.conduct.regular.forest.patrols.

. At.Abijata.Shalla,.15.beneficiaries.of.the.Borana.breed.heifers.received.training.on.Livestock.Health.and.Management and.were.provided.with.heifers.thus.giving.them.an.opportunity.to.practice.effective.management.of.the.new.breed.

3Replication of Best Practices from the members of the SSGs by other community members ensures success in livelihood improvement and conservation

. In.Ethiopia. the.closure.of.20.hectares.by. the.Abijata.Shalla.SSG.became.a.successful. conservation.practice. that. inspired.community.members. to. initiate.closures.in.their.own.farms..

4Proper credit management and distribution of revolving funds requires training and formulation of binding by-laws by the local community

. For.security.reasons,.interest.from.loans.to.group.members.is.best.deducted.at.the.time.loans.are.disbursed.than.later..

. 18.members.of.Abijata.Shalla.and.20.members. from.Berga.SSGs. received.training.in.Cooperative.and.Micro-credit.Management.

5Acquiring legal status for Site Support Groups earns them recognition and enables them to operate within clear legal frameworks

. The.Dakatcha Community Forest Association.was. registered.with.Registrar.of.Societies. earning. recognition. to. engage. with. Kenya. Forest. Service. in. the.management.of.the.woodland.within.a.legal.framework..

Best PRACtICes 5.0

| v| 1�

These. valuable. lessons. learnt. are. shared. so. that. institutions.project.managers.and.donors.integrate.them.in.development.or.implementation.of.future.livelihood.projects..

. Consultation.with.local.leaders.is.essential.to.obtain.support.and.endorsement..This.forms.the.basis.for.future.collaboration.and.partnerships..

6.0 Lessons LeARnt

The new SSG office and grain store at Abijata Shalla © EWNHS SSG members attending to a tree nursery atBerga, Ethiopia © Venancia Ndoo

. Implementation.of.livelihood.projects.requires.at.least.three.to. four. years. to. ensure. meaningful. impacts. and. build. in.sustainability.measures.

. Managing. community. politics. is. best. achieved. through.persistence,. neutrality. and. adherence. to. the. community.etiquette..

. Employment.of.an.‘effort-reward’.system.manages.community.dependence.on.hand-outs.

. Capacity. building. in. leadership. and. business. skills.development.is.essential.for.successful.livelihood.improvement.projects.

. Site. Support. Groups. are. essential. and. effective. points. for.engagement.with.local.communities..

. Livelihood. projects. sustainably. using. local. resources. can.provide.a.source.of.income.to.the.local.community.

. It.is.not.always.easy.to.show.the.link.between.improved.lives.and.conservation.of.biodiversity..Good.record.keeping.(facts.and.figures).throughout.the.project.is.essential.

Maize purchased and stored for resale atAbijatta Shalla, Ethiopia © Venancia Ndoo

vi | 1� |

Through.the.livelihoods.projects,.the.following.biodiversity.policy.recommendations.can.be.made:

1.. Increased. awareness. creation. and. preparedness. on. the.impacts.of.climate.change.on.biodiversity.and.people.at.the.local.level..

2.. Revision. of. existing. biodiversity. conservation. strategies,.action. plans. and. programs. in. light. of. the. long. term.impact.of.climate.change.on.biodiversity.conservation.and.adaptation..

3.. Mainstreaming. of. biodiversity. conservation. and. climate.change.mitigation.into.government.and.non-governmental.organization’s.policies,.strategies,.plans,.and.programmes.is.required.in.all.sectors.

4.. Improving. the. resilience. of. natural. systems. in. protected.areas.to.reduce.the.effects.of.climate.change.is.critical.

5.. Improve. habitat. management. through. reduced. land.fragmentation.and.private.ownership. for. the.protection.of.critical.sites..

6.. Develop. stronger. livelihoods-based. mechanisms. for.promoting. community. participation. in. natural. resource.management.in.project.areas..

7.. Research. on. the. likely. impacts. of. climate. change. on.the. ecological. systems. and. the. adaptive. capacity. of. key.ecosystems. for. formulation. of. appropriate. adaptation.strategies..

8.. All. inclusive.ecosystem-based.decision.making.process. to.guide.biodiversity.conservation.strategies.

9.. Expand. existing. programmes. to. combat. the. spread. of.alien.and.invasive.species.and.the.destruction.of.sensitive.ecosystems.

10.. Promote. environmental. education. focusing. on. the.sustainable.use.of.the.environment,.specifically.with.regard.to.species.and.plants..

11.. Integrating.climate.change.adaptation.and.vulnerability.in.Environmental. Impact. Assessment. and. Project. Feasibility.and.Assessment.procedures.at.macro.and.sectoral.levels..

ReCommenDAtIons FoR BIoDIveRsItyPoLICy-mAkIng AnD ImPLementAtIon

. . . . . .7.0

“This initiative is a classic example of what collaboration at local, national, regional and international levels can do. We are grateful to

AECID for the grant that made this work possible.”Dr. Julius Arinaitwe, Regional Director for Africa, BirdLife International

ISBN No: 978-9966-7191-7-1