The company has created partnership with players in the gum and resins sector and in the aloe and cosmetics industry for a collaborative market engagement. Partnership with the Laikipia permaculture has resulted to creation of the aloe nursery and improving the products that the groups in Laikipia were formulating, certifying the organic and registering the products with the Ethical Bio Trade. This means that the products will gain the global demand as they are traceable and quality assured.
Currently, we collaborate closely with the County Government of Isiolo, the County Government of Turkana, the County Government of Marsabit and the County Government of Wajir in Kenya. We also collaborate often with institutions such as Kenya Forestry Association (KFS), Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), the Gum And Resins Association (GARA) where we are executive committee member ensuring quality standards, National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). Over the years we partnered up with NGOs among which CEFA, COOPI, CESVI, World Vision, VSF-G in Kenya, C&D – Africa Mission in Uganda, and from 2019 FAO and WFP among UN agencies.
Good working relationship with the locals.
Existing work relationships with ready market players
Facilitation of education on gums and resins aloe value chain additions
Provision of harvesting and grading tools for the raw materials.
Diversified sources of income.
Power of collaboration - with good working relationships with the locals and county government respectively has enabled us iin partnerships with locals allocation of 100 acres of community land for restoration through aloe plantations and Gums and resins tree species plantantions.
Because of the capacity building investment that AGAR has put in with our collecting partners and aloe farmes, there has been a big improvement in quantity and quality of the sourced raw materials, showing with good information and improved harvesting techniques the farmers and collectors can do a great job.
With multiple sources of incoe a household in Kenyan arid areas can be able to adapt to the changes that come with climate change in the events of long droughts and other natural calamities, they can be able to cushion themselves from their hazards through diversified sources of income from harvesting and colectio of aloe and gums and resins.
With good partners on board from both public and the private sector, there is room for better policies and guidelines to govern this sector of Non Timber Forest Product.
Agroforestry and forest restoration are key building blocks of our replicable solution as they help us achieve landscape-level restoration goals while providing local benefits such as better soil quality and crop production.
Local field staff available to provide technical support and training on implementation
Communities who have engaged in agroforestry and reforestation can hold learning exchanges with neighboring communities beginning to engage in agroforestry to pass on knowledge, farmer to farmer
Community volunteers gathering scientific forest monitoring data.
EcoLogic Development Fund
Empowering the community to take the lead on their forest monitoring and conservation goals is a key building block of this replicable solution. After community volunteer leaders are identified, they are equipped with the training, tools, and materials needed for their management plan. They may also work with local law enforcement on monitoring illegal logging and other extraction of biodiversity from the forest. Some communities in the Chinantla had a need for scientific forest monitoring data to be able to apply for a national program that provided payment in exchange for environmental stewardship work. The training and skill-building elements of the project were adapted to fit this need, so community members were trained in forest data collection so that they were empowered to collect this information on their own, thereby becoming eligible to qualify for the ecosystem services payment program.
Beneficiary communities who have self-identified as wanting assistance are more eager to take the lead on forest monitoring activities
Willing community members are able to take on volunteer leadership roles
Monitoring activities are based on management plan developed along with the community
Community leaders become champions of the local ecosystem and can inspire others in their families and communities
Strengthening capacities in the community based on local needs
Workshop with community residents.
EcoLogic Development Fund
Incorporating new tools into community forest monitoring practices.
EcoLogic Development Fund
Community workshop.
EcoLogic Development Fund
This solution has been replicated in several different communities successfully by first listening closely to what the current beneficiary community needs support with, and then developing a plan along with the community that addresses those desired goals and outcomes. Through training, workshops, and technical assistance from local field staff, specific skills and capacities are built in the community to empower residents to take charge of restoring their ecosystems. After initial financial and technical support, eventually many of these actions will become sustained over time, requiring less support from partners.
Initial workshops held to listen to and document communities’ priorities and goals
Local field staff available to provide technical support and training
Solutions and activities adapted to the culture and context of the community are more likely to be sustained over the longer term
Participatory process of identifying beneficiary communities
This project is based on a philosophy of working with communities who have asked for support, so that the solution is driven by the priorities of the community rather than imposing outside goals or values. The first building block of identifying beneficiary communities through participatory processes is critical to the success of the project, as trust and collaboration will ensure better outcomes. Community investment and eagerness to engage in sustainable actions are also critical traits to identify in the beneficiary communities as they will be taking the lead on their ecosystem conservation and restoration efforts.
Local partner organizations and/or field staff serve as local liaisons with rural and indigenous communities, building relationships and trust
Local field staff organize community assemblies
Building trust with communities is important, as they may have had negative prior experiences with outside agents or groups exerting pressures on their land
