Institutional strengthening & sustainability

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

  • Effective collaboration across the three Ministries and the Institutions that are implementing the project through regular stakeholder engagements.
  • Technical support from the World Bank, the team provide support across project activities and ensure impactful project implementation 

 

 

 

 

 

The synergy between the Ministries and institutions is key to producing results, because for impactful results for the project it is key that all Ministries must work closely together. The synergy has provided more innovative and collaborative ideas for effective project delivery.

Livelihood Support through Public Private Partnership

 

 

The ACReSal portfolio aims to lift 3.4 million Nigerians out of poverty, recognizing that land degradation is a key factor contributing to poverty. A crucial tool in achieving climate smart agricultural initiative while also promoting environmental sustainability. The lease of land by both the private and government sector will enable landless farmers to farm and improve their livelihoods. 

 

 

 

 

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  • Government and private sector support
  • Farmers participation.
  • Training and provision of seedlings

 

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) bring together the expertise of both the public and private sectors, allowing each sector to do what it does best in order to deliver projects and services in the most efficient manner. 

Community  strengthening

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Ensure community participation and support in all activities.
  • Establish Community Interest Groups (CIGs) elected by the communities to be involved throughout the process.
  • Engage focal NGOs to educate and sensitize community members on environmental issues.

 

Community ownership of the projects and a thorough understanding of the project objectives have been crucial for the success of this community-strengthening process. By fostering a sense of ownership, the community becomes more interested  in the outcomes, leading to greater engagement and commitment. Ensuring that community members fully grasp the goals and benefits of the projects and contribute to the decision-making process. This collective involvement not only enhances the effectiveness of the initiatives but also builds local capacity, resilience to climate change, and long-term sustainability.

 

 

 

 

 

Sustainable Agriculture and Landscapes 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.

 

 

Building block 1 – Enabling Factors 

  • Prioritizing alternative livelihood options in land restoration.
  • Sensitizing the community to environmental issues and methods to prevent land degradation.
  • Integrating climate smart agriculture in soil restoration.
  • Community Ownership and government support

 

 

 

 

 

 

Building block 1 – Lessons learned *

  • Emphasizing the importance of community participation to identify their top priority issues.
  • Raising community awareness of all interventions, including gully restoration and reforestation, through comprehensive awareness campaigns.
  • Establishing an interim engagement point, such as collaborating with traditional leaders, to secure community support.

 

Continuous Community Engagement Throughout the Project Period

Some community members had heard of success stories from elsewhere but were pessimistic, considering the unpaying efforts they had already put into restoring the area. Sensitization meetings were conducted regarding the hydrological restoration approach to ensure that the community was adequately included. Through VAJIKI CFA, the community was informed of the upcoming hydrological activity. Through the village heads, 30 communities participated in the hydrological restoration and monitoring training. 

Regular communication with the local community throughout the hydrological restoration project ensured ongoing involvement and support. This engagement helped keep the community informed, addressed their concerns and fostered a sense of ownership over restoration efforts.

  • Providing continuous updates and engaging the community throughout the project ensures sustained involvement and support.
  • Establishing channels for community feedback helps address concerns and improve the effectiveness of restoration activities.
  • Continuous community engagement is essential for maintaining interest and addressing emerging issues throughout the project.
  • Being responsive to community feedback helps build trust and ensure the project's implementation and success.
Research-Led and Ecological Mangrove Restoration

This project was initiated against the backdrop of an existing community forest association (VAJIKI) that had expressed interest in the conservation of mangroves. The community had already been engaging in planting mangroves, but in this specific area, attempts had yet to bear fruit. Although no meaningful salt production took place, salt pans had earlier on been excavated in the area, resulting in the clearing of about 10 ha of mangroves. The site had since remained bare due to the extremely high salinity levels that hindered the recovery of mangroves even upon abandonment of salt production. 

Guiding the restoration efforts based on research and ecological principles ensured that the hydrological interventions were scientifically sound and ecologically appropriate. This approach involved applying research findings to address specific challenges related to water flow, salinity, and mangrove health.

  • Using research and ecological principles to guide restoration efforts ensures that interventions are based on a scientific approach.
  • Applying research findings to the specific conditions of the project area helps in designing effective interventions.
  • Engaging community members in the research process ensured that citizen science and needs were reflected in the restoration strategies.
  • Involving stakeholders in research fostered a sense of shared responsibility and commitment to the restoration goals.
  • Incorporating scientific research into the restoration design enhances the effectiveness and sustainability of the interventions.
  • Adapting techniques based on ongoing research and field observations is crucial for addressing dynamic hydrological conditions.
  • Incorporating local perspectives into the research process enhances the relevance and applicability of the findings.
Collaboration with Partners

During the project, the partners involved were different users of the Vanga mangrove, both directly and indirectly, and all depended on the existence of the forest to accomplish their uses. These include fishermen, beekeepers, dagaa processors, Vanga Blue Forest, researchers, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Kenya Forest Service and WWF-Kenya. This was necessary for successful hydrological restoration. This collaboration ensured that resources were shared, efforts were coordinated, and the restoration process benefited from diverse expertise.

 

  • Working with VAJIKI CFA, Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, and other stakeholders facilitates resource sharing and coordinated efforts.
  • Leveraging the knowledge and experience of various partners enhances the planning and execution of the hydrological restoration activities.
  • Citizen science enhances monitoring activities, increases community investment in the restoration project and provides valuable insights into local conditions and changes.
  • Effective collaboration among partners is vital for the success of hydrological restoration projects. Clear roles and open communication improve project outcomes.
  • Sharing resources and expertise among partners enhances the efficiency and impact of restoration efforts.
  • Promoting shared ownership among stakeholders leads to more effective and sustainable restoration outcomes.
Field-Based Training

Field-based training allowed community members to gain practical involvement and experience in the process of hydrological restoration. The community members to be engaged in the activities were identified through the village heads and VAJIKI CFA officials. Meetings were first held with opinion leaders in the village before extrapolating to the larger community. They then went through training, which was mainly field-based. The community was trained on general mangrove restoration and on how to create a (fishbone) network of channels in the degraded site to facilitate free and almost simultaneous flooding of the area. Hydrological restoration was trained in the field, allowing the community to observe and appreciate the baseline conditions and the modifications that could be made.

 

  • Practical demonstrations in the field allow community members to engage directly with the restoration process and understand the techniques used.
  • Training focusing on site-specific conditions ensures that the skills learned directly apply to the restoration.

 

  • Hands-on, site-specific training is more effective than theoretical lessons alone. Engaging with actual conditions enhances understanding and application of restoration techniques.
  • Continuous training and skill development are essential for maintaining progress and ensuring the project's long-term success.
Participatory and Inclusive Baseline Survey

The project involved engaging the local community in a baseline survey to assess the hydrological conditions and the appropriate restoration approach. The survey aimed to gather information on water flow, salinity levels and mangrove health, which are necessary for designing effective hydrological restoration strategies.

 

  • We are involving local community members to provide valuable insights into the project. 
  • The provision of diverse perspectives helps in gathering detailed and accurate information. 

 

  • Community involvement is crucial for collecting accurate baseline data and understanding specific local conditions.
  • Ensuring diverse participation enhances the effectiveness of the restoration design by incorporating various viewpoints and addressing all relevant issues.
Implementation and Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning

Effective policy lobbying and advocacy must address the implementation of both existing and newly finalized policies to ensure they meet their intended goals. This involves continuous monitoring to track progress and assess the effectiveness of policy implementation. All partners involved in a program or policy must participate in this ongoing process to ensure alignment with objectives and adapt strategies as needed.

  • Regularly assess and compare the goals and objectives to evaluate progress and identify gaps. Research and analysis support this comparative review
  • Working through coalitions enhances policy advocacy efforts by uniting diverse voices, amplifying impact, and strengthening influence
  • Policy implementation is a lengthy process involving diverse stakeholders with varying priorities. Patience and persistence are crucial
  • Initially, we overlooked sectors like tourism that have significant stakes in natural resource management. Including all relevant sectors can reveal important interests and enhance advocacy
  • Engaging a wide range of stakeholders is essential. Excluding key players can hinder progress and make achieving objectives more challenging