Planning phase | PANORAMA

Landscape Assessment for Species Success

Land assessment

Nourish Africa

Land assessment

Nourish Africa

The purpose of this building block is to conduct thorough landscape assessments on the land owned by colleges and universities. By evaluating the environmental conditions, we can determine which species are best suited to thrive in these areas. This careful selection process ensures higher success rates for planting and contributes to more sustainable conservation efforts. The landscape assessment serves as the foundation for effective planting strategies, aligning species selection with the specific ecological characteristics of the land, ultimately leading to more resilient ecosystems.

Key factors for success include having strong environmental technical expertise within the team and leveraging our partnerships with universities to access the land for assessment. These partnerships provide the necessary support and resources to conduct comprehensive evaluations, ensuring that the species selected are well-suited to the specific conditions of each site, which is critical for the long-term success of the planting efforts.

One of the primary lessons learned is that not all tree species can thrive in the same region. Conducting land assessments is essential for understanding the unique environmental conditions of each area. This knowledge allows us to select species that are more likely to succeed, improving the overall effectiveness of our planting efforts. By aligning species with their ideal habitats, we enhance the sustainability and impact of our conservation initiatives.

Indigenous Trees for Climate Resilience in Drylands

Terminalia brownii (1) mature and dry fruits, (2) extracted seeds ready for germination

Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI)

This building block focuses on identifying and utilizing climate-resilient tree species, particularly the Red Pod Terminalia (T. brownii), in dryland restoration efforts. Extensive research has shown T. brownii’s exceptional survival rate and growth potential in arid regions. A screening trial in Baringo, Kenya, demonstrated a 97% survival rate for T. brownii within two years, outperforming other indigenous and Australian Acacia species. These promising results highlight T. brownii's suitability for dryland restoration, making it a prime candidate for combating deforestation and climate change in Kenya's drylands. Our goal is to scale up the use of T. brownii and other drought-resistant species to enhance reforestation efforts. The research also explored effective seedling production and improved germination techniques to ensure the successful establishment of these trees in harsh environments.

Key enabling factors include selecting T. brownii as a resilient species based on extensive research trials. Collaboration with researchers and communities ensured the identification of viable provenances and effective seed handling techniques tailored to the Kendu Bay, Baringo, and Kitui regions. We conducted germination trials to optimize seed treatment methods, such as nipping, dewinging, and extraction, which significantly enhanced the species' germination rates.

We learned that rapid germination of T. brownii seeds occurs within 10 days, allowing for multiple nursery rotations per year. Ensuring that fruits are fully mature and properly dried simplifies seed extraction and improves germination success. Synchronizing planting programs with seasonal cycles is crucial for maximizing survival and growth. There is also a need to train communities and stakeholders to promote T. brownii as an alternative species for agroforestry, afforestation, and reforestation programs in drylands, leading to more impactful and sustainable outcomes.

Planning phase

National

Identifying with the communities strategic locations for solar panel implementation

Identifying strategic locations for solar panel implementation with communities involves assessing areas with high sunlight exposure and low shading. Engaging local members ensures that sites are selected based on practical needs, accessibility, and minimal disruption. This collaborative approach optimize's energy efficiency and aligns solar installations with community priorities.

Community Involvement: Engage local members in identifying potential locations to ensure sites meet practical and cultural needs.
Site Assessments: Conduct thorough assessments of sunlight exposure, land use, and shading to determine optimal locations.
Local Knowledge: Leverage the community’s knowledge of the area for selecting suitable and accessible sites.
Technical Expertise: Involve experts in solar technology to evaluate and validate chosen locations.
Access to Resources: Ensure availability of necessary tools and technology for site evaluation and installation.
Infrastructure: Verify that selected locations have or can be developed with the required infrastructure for solar panel deployment.
Regulatory Compliance: Adhere to local regulations and obtain necessary permits for site selection and installation.

Site Assessments: Conduct detailed assessments of sunlight exposure, land use, and shading to determine optimal sites.
Utilize Local Knowledge: Leverage community expertise to identify potential sites based on local conditions and needs.
Technical Evaluation: Involve solar technology experts to validate site suitability and ensure technical feasibility.
Community Feedback: Regularly gather and incorporate feedback from the community to address any concerns and adjust plans as needed.

Planning phase

Monitoring

Local

Creating community led committees to ensure participatory approaches are implemented

Creating community-led committees ensures participatory approaches by involving local members in decision-making. These committees empower communities to actively engage in project planning, implementation, and monitoring, fostering ownership and accountability. This approach enhances relevance, cultural alignment, and sustainability, ensuring that solutions are effectively tailored to the community's specific needs and priorities. Community members would be chosen through election in their local language.

Inclusive Representation: Ensure that committees include diverse community members to reflect various perspectives and needs.
Effective Communication: Establish channels for open and transparent communication within the committee and with the broader community.
Supportive Leadership: Engage local leaders and influencers to endorse and support the committee’s efforts.
Regular Meetings and Feedback: Schedule regular meetings and feedback sessions to monitor progress and make adjustments as needed.
Clear Objectives: Define the committee's goals and roles clearly to guide effective participation and decision-making.

Community engagement is vital for a project to be successful . Involving the community throughout, using a participative approach is at the core of the success and sustainability of the project.

Identify the problem in the community with the community leading the process

The purpose of this building block is to empower communities to identify and address local issues through a participatory, community-led process. By involving the community in problem identification, the approach ensures solutions are relevant, culturally appropriate, and sustainable. This method fosters ownership, encouraging long-term commitment and effective implementation of solutions tailored to the community's unique needs. This is done with the involvement of traditional leaders.

Community Engagement: Active participation from community members ensures that solutions are relevant and culturally appropriate.
Local Knowledge: Incorporating local expertise helps identify suitable sites and needs for solar panel installation.
Capacity Building: Providing training and resources for installation and maintenance enhances local skills and ensures long-term sustainability.
Supportive Infrastructure: Ensuring infrastructure is in place for project execution.

Engaging local members ensures accurate problem identification and relevant solutions, while leveraging community expertise provides deeper insights. Building trust through transparency and consistent communication, along with ongoing dialogue, helps adapt solutions to evolving needs, ensuring effective and responsive community-driven interventions.

Planning phase

Local

Stakeholder Mapping & Engagement

Plant seedlings at Geta Forest Station

NACOFA

A degraded Forest site in Aberdare

NACOFA

To effectively address the degradation of Lake Naivasha, it's essential to understand the activities of other local actors in the area. This building block focuses on stakeholder mapping and engagement, aiming to harmonize efforts, avoid duplication, and identify the key priorities and concerns of different stakeholders. By coordinating actions and aligning objectives, the initiative can more effectively tackle the environmental challenges facing Lake Naivasha.

The mapping exercise must be inclusive, involving all key actors such as development partners, community networks, county governments, and national government bodies.
It is vital for the county government to lead stakeholder efforts, ensuring alignment and understanding across the county. Their leadership is also critical due to the heightened governmental scrutiny on conservation and restoration activities.
Pre-existing strong relationships with key stakeholders make it easier to map, communicate, and address key issues and priorities effectively.

Multi-stakeholder meetings led by the county government are preferred to harmonize restoration issues and efforts across the county.
It may be beneficial to map more NGOs working at the local level, as their integration could provide a better understanding of restoration efforts across Lake Naivasha.
Engaging the broader private sector can be challenging unless there is direct funding support for the program. For example, horticultural institutions involved in flower farming share concerns about lake pollution, which could serve as a potential entry point for future discussions.

Planning phase

Implementation

Local

Community sensitization on environmental issues

Local Community Awareness Forums

NACOFA

Local community awareness forums

NACOFA

This building block focuses on engaging directly with local communities through face-to-face interactions and site visits to every forest block. We worked closely with the community to discuss the impact of forest degradation on agriculture, livelihoods, and the natural environment. On-the-ground visits ensured a deep understanding of the issues and secured community buy-in for the program. These efforts were carried out in partnership with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), which played a key role in validating and supporting the initiative.

The presence of KFS added significant value to the efforts, especially with the introduction of new forestry laws. It reassured the community that they could co-manage their lands, improving their livelihoods. KFS’s involvement provided a sense of ownership and legitimacy, motivating community participation.
Communicating in the local native language facilitated quicker access to information, better understanding, and more effective implementation of initiatives by the community.
Tailoring direct communication to meet the specific needs of the local community was vital for successful community sensitization and engagement.

Sensitization is an ongoing process. Regular meetings and continuous communication are essential to maintaining open dialogue with local actors. Since policies and legislation are constantly evolving, it’s important to engage and update the community frequently.
Linking partners such as government entities, communities, and CSOs to address local issues increases the success of the programs.
The transition from national to county-level management of land and restoration efforts can present challenges, particularly in resource management. The complexity of working across different levels of government can impact resource management and program implementation.
This building block provides an opportunity to empower communities to take ownership of their land and address environmental issues directly, fostering a sense of responsibility and stewardship.

Inclusive and Participatory Research

Loading seedlings for transportation to planting site at South Kinangop Forest Station by CFA and KFS staff

NACOFA

Monitoring (survival count) of seedlings on restored sites at South Kinangop forest station

NACOFA

The community was directly engaged during this research to gain a clear understanding of the impacts affecting them.

NACOFA and WWF-Kenya recognized the concerns raised by the community, county government, and horticulture industry regarding reduced river flow and water supply to the lake, which threatened their investments and livelihoods. A study was conducted in collaboration with Water Resource User Associations (WRUAs) in the region, revealing that the root cause of the problem was forest and landscape degradation, along with poor farm management practices in riparian areas.

Our strong relationship with WWF Kenya allowed us to integrate their deep understanding of local issues into our research, building on existing knowledge rather than starting from scratch.
Strong relationships and networking with local government and CFAs helped us gain a better understanding of the issues and facilitated greater access to local communities, enabling a more participatory approach in our research.

By improving livelihoods through restoration programs, we found it easier to engage more youth in our research, as they had already benefited directly from these projects.
Securing buy-in from the government and Kenya Forestry Service was simpler because they had previously witnessed the benefits of our initiatives.
We gained an enhanced understanding of the native tree species that are more resilient and grow faster in this specific ecosystem.

Planning phase

Inception phase

Local

Stakeholder Mapping & Engagement

Lake Naivasha

NACOFA

Local community awareness forums

NACOFA

The mapping exercise must be inclusive, involving all key actors such as development partners, community networks, county governments, and national government bodies.
It is vital for the county government to lead stakeholder efforts, ensuring alignment and understanding across the county. Their leadership is also critical due to the heightened governmental scrutiny on conservation and restoration activities.
Pre-existing strong relationships with key stakeholders make it easier to map, communicate, and address key issues and priorities effectively.

Multi-stakeholder meetings led by the county government are preferred to harmonize restoration issues and efforts across the county.
It may be beneficial to map more NGOs working at the local level, as their integration could provide a better understanding of restoration efforts across Lake Naivasha.
Engaging the broader private sector can be challenging unless there is direct funding support for the program. For example, horticultural institutions involved in flower farming share concerns about lake pollution, which could serve as a potential entry point for future discussions.

Inclusive and Participatory Research

A community tree nursery at North Kinangop Forest station

NACOFA

Loading seedlings for transportation to planting site at South Kinangop Forest Station by CFA and KFS staff.

NACOFA

Planting seedlings at Geta forest station

NACOFA

CFA members transporting seedlings to riparian restoration sites

NACOFA

Monitoring (survival count) of seedlings on restored sites at South Kinangop forest station

NACOFA

Intercropping maize with trees on a forest restoration site

NACOFA

The community was directly engaged during this research to gain a clear understanding of the impacts affecting them.

Our strong relationship with WWF Kenya allowed us to integrate their deep understanding of local issues into our research, building on existing knowledge rather than starting from scratch.
Strong relationships and networking with local government and CFAs helped us gain a better understanding of the issues and facilitated greater access to local communities, enabling a more participatory approach in our research.

By improving livelihoods through restoration programs, we found it easier to engage more youth in our research, as they had already benefited directly from these projects.
Securing buy-in from the government and Kenya Forestry Service was simpler because they had previously witnessed the benefits of our initiatives.
We gained an enhanced understanding of the native tree species that are more resilient and grow faster in this specific ecosystem.

Planning phase

Local