Compensation for ecological protection refers to the incentive system arrangement of compensating units and individuals who carry out ecological protection in accordance with regulations or agreements through mechanisms such as financial vertical compensation, inter-regional horizontal compensation and market mechanism compensation. Ecological protection and restoration refers to a method of comprehensively restoring damaged ecosystems through biological restoration, physical restoration, chemical restoration as well as engineering and technical measures under the guidance of ecological principles, aiming to improve the quality and stability of ecosystems.
 

Problems to be solved: It is necessary to seek financial project funding support at all levels to ensure that the project can be implemented on the ground; it is necessary to fully understand the wishes of community residents and consult the relevant village committees before determining the planting varieties and the number and area of the planting; good planting techniques and rich experience in field management are required.
 

Solution: Include the community ecological protection compensation and restoration project in the central financial forestry and grassland ecological protection and restoration funds project to ensure that the project funds are in place; organize sharpshooter classes to go to the households to understand the community people's willingness to develop; hire professional cooperatives experts to carry out training to guide farmers in planting and field management.

 

The intention is to ensure access and availability of water for farmers and for domestic use and irrigation purposes for pastoralists in the community. Farm-led irrigation will help farmers be able to carry out year round agricultural activity, which will contribute to increased food production as well as improving livelihoods.

This building block focuses on empowering women in local communities through targeted training and capacity-building initiatives. The aim is to equip women with essential skills, knowledge, and resources to engage in sustainable practices, environmental conservation, and climate change mitigation. By fostering leadership and entrepreneurial abilities, women can play a pivotal role in driving positive change in their communities and contributing to broader socio-economic development.

The ACReSAL project collaborates with three key ministries: Environment, Agriculture, and Water Resources. It operates across multiple institutional levels, including state, national, local, and community levels. This approach ensures that project implementers at all ministerial levels have their capacities strengthened, thereby sustaining the project's investments and efficient landscapes management.

Enhance community's capacity to manage the environment, recognizing that over 80% of environmental issues occur in rural areas. This underscores the importance of upskilling and empowering them to improve environmental management.

The integration of sustainable agriculture and landscape management practices in land restoration efforts is crucial in conserving soil and water, promoting biodiversity, and mitigating climate change. This approach also improves livelihoods, enhances ecosystem services, and builds resilience. To achieve this, we conducted thorough assessments, engaged local farmers and other stakeholders, developed context-specific plans, provided training, monitored progress, and foster policy support. This ensures a holistic and sustainable restoration of degraded lands, benefiting both people and the environment, including water resources. It's important for the community to collaborate, contribute, and learn effective environmental management approaches to ensure the project's long-term sustainability and unsustainable agricultural practices.

The natural resource sector in Kenya is governed by a complex web of laws and policies that directly impact community lifestyles and livelihoods. However, many community members lack knowledge of these laws, leading to confusion, especially when different government departments enforce contradictory regulations. 

NACOFA has taken on the responsibility of informing and educating communities about the relevant laws that affect them. By doing so, NACOFA helps protect communities from unwarranted actions by government officers. An example is the development and implementation of Participatory Forest Management Plans (PFMPs) and Forest Management Agreements (FMAs). Despite these agreements being signed between KFS and various CFAs, there are instances where KFS fails to honor the commitments, making community awareness critical for accountability.

Policy formulation and development is a complex, time-consuming process requiring support from communities, government, politicians, external partners, and the public, including investors and beneficiaries. It demands patience and flexibility, often facing resistance from those benefiting from current policies.

NACOFA's experiences highlight these challenges. Developing the Forest Act 2005 and revising it to the Forest Conservation and Management Act 2016 each took four years. The Forest Incentives and Benefit Sharing Regulations have been stalled for 14 years, and the Natural Resources and Benefit Sharing Bill has been in Parliament since 2014. These critical policies, essential for ensuring community benefits from conservation efforts, face significant delays due to competing interests.

NACOFA has learned that patience and adaptability are crucial in policy formulation. This process often begins with a community's need to address environmental challenges and aims to tackle root causes, ensuring a stable supply of environmental goods and services for future generations. It must align with current political directions, national and global commitments, and garner stakeholder support.

NACOFA has also faced challenges implementing Transition Implementation Plans (TIPs) at the county level, providing opportunities to address these issues through county-specific NRM bylaws, forest management plans, capacity building, and guidelines for conserving fragile ecosystems and developing nature-based enterprises.

This building block leverages the widespread appeal of football to engage youth in environmental conservation efforts. Our environmental educators collaborate with college and university students, using football as a medium to raise awareness through posters, talks, and events focused on restoration methods. By tapping into the popularity of football, we make environmental issues more relatable and engaging, inspiring students to adopt sustainable practices. This approach not only educates but also mobilizes young people to become active participants in conservation, making them feel integral to the solution.

This building block focuses on refining the techniques for propagating Red Pod Terminalia (T. brownii) and ensuring stakeholder engagement throughout the process. Identifying and involving relevant stakeholders—ranging from local communities to research institutions—was key to the successful planning, implementation, and dissemination of results.

Effective seed extraction is vital for successful propagation. T. brownii fruits have a distinct structure, with the seed located more broadly at the proximal end. To extract the seed without damaging it, incisions are carefully made on either side of the fruit near the proximal end using hand secateurs. The distal and proximal sides are then gently pulled apart, revealing the seed, which can be removed intact. Avoid making cuts near the distal end, as this can cause the seed to break during extraction. Properly handling and processing seeds significantly improves germination rates, contributing to the species' successful propagation and conservation efforts.