Communication played a key role in the success of this project. KWCA held a number of virtual meetings from the planning stages to the assessment stage. The choice for virtual meetings was necessitated by the covid-19 pandemic and the associated government measures to control its spread including country lock down thereby disrupting mobility and physical meetings. Some of the virtual calls included planning meetings, inception meeting with the conservancy members to enhance a shared understanding of the project scope and manage stakeholder expectation. Virtual meetings were also held to create awareness of SAGE to the key stakeholders, and to also collaboratively map out the conservancy stakeholders.
The lead consultant, with support from the assistant facilitators, spearheaded the translation of the SAGE principles and questions to the local language for wider uptake especially by the stakeholders who were only proficient in the local language.
Translation of the tool to the local language made it possible for wider participation
Recruitment of assistant facilitators from the local communities and who were proficient in the local languages provided opportunities for productive participation by the stakeholders especially conservancy members.
Translation of the tool to the local language made it possible for wider participation
Effective communication is key in fostering a shared understanding of the project scope, as well as ensuring successful project implementation
The use of local language is an effective strategy to ensure comprehensive local participation and buy-in, especially when the target audiences are only proficient in local languages.
Rangers are trained on the use of new SMART technology used to record patrol data. It is crucial to have well trained and equipped ranger teams to collect accurate data during their patrols.
Availability of funds
Access to technology and training of staff in using the technology
Individual rangers have different capacity building needs, we identified that there is a need to focus on individual rangers as well rather than just providing group training.
SAGE is a relatively new tool for assessment of governance and equity in Kenya. The success of the deployment therefore depends on the stakeholders' understanding of the tool, its scope and application. KWCA recruited a trained and certified lead SAGE facilitator who spearheaded awareness creation about the tool to key stakeholders including KWCA, the managers of the two conservancies, and the Landscape Association representatives.
The SAGE tool provides for the recruitment of assistant facilitators to support in SAGE facilitation and note taking. A total of 22 co-facilitators and note takers were recruited, trained and deployed to support the assessment and the synthesis workshop. Their training focused on understanding the SAGE tool, the various principles and the questions as well as basic facilitation skills.
Recruitment and contracting of a certified SAGE lead facilitator to spearhead the process
The easing of COVID-19 movement restrictions enabled the project implementation team to travel and conduct on-site assistant facilitators training
Participatory identification and recruitment of assistant facilitators ensured successful recruitment of suitable talent to support the process.
SAGE Assistant facilitators play a key supportive role in SAGE implementation
Being a new tool in the country, there is a need for increased training of SAGE lead facilitators to scale SAGE implementation in the country
Issues of poisoning are sometimes sensitive and people might be reluctant to share much-needed information. To gain their trust, the implementer approached the local government authority and signed a Memorandum of Understanding which enables us to work in the area. Another engagement meeting was done with the local leadership (chiefs, headman) to discuss our intention in the area as a conservation organization. These steps increased our transparency as an honest organization. Building on these strong relations and trust with local communities is essential to ensure that they share such information.
Time and the human capacity for repeated visits to spend time in the communities to build long-standing relationships of trust over time were enabling factors.
Long-term investments with communities are needed, taking into recognition that they have different cultural and social issues happening in the communities. Effective communication is essential to build the trust of the local communities.
The consultant utilized the data gathered to update the 2015 plan as part of the building block for C-CAM’s financial sustainability resilience programme. This included updating the existing plan with recommendations focused on gaps in the plan as well as feedback from team members and others. The new COVID19 impact also factored into the plan and a focus on building resiliency to that and potential future shocks. The development of the plan was participatory to ensure that team members who would be implementing understood their roles and had input in determining what those roles would entail. The plan was developed to be user-friendly, practical, realistic, and achievable.
Team members - at least the board and staff have to be willing and able to participate in the process.
Enough time and funds need to be allocated for the participatory update of the plan.
Financial sustainability development is a long-term process and sufficient funds and time need to be allocated to do that properly to include robust discussions with team members and others who are relevant to the process to allow them to participate in a meaningful way. This would ensure that the plan is utilized by the team since they would have the opportunity to participate more fully in the development and hopefully get buy-in to the plan. This would also have highlighted C-CAM’s commitment to participatory planning.
Training team members on how to implement the plan would also have assisted with the earlier utilization of the plan.
Working closely with all team members in the development of the plan would allow for clear roles to be assigned to them in the implementation of the plan.
The Executive Director had discussions with the consultant regarding the steps in the development of the plan and how the plan can be utilized which assisted with a more global outlook on the role of management in the financial resilience programme.
Since inception in 1982 we have built strong relationships with local communities, conservation NGOs, Ministry of Environment, forestry & Tourism and Traditional leaders in the rhino landscape.
Our work benefits the local communities through the creation of job opportunities as trackers and rhino rangers. By creating a healthy environment for rhino population growth, we have enabled custodian conservancies to sign agreements with tourism partners, this creates job opportunities in the community and additional income for the conservancies as tourism is the highest income generating industry for the majority of these conservancies.
Constituted communal conservancies, with clear standard operating procedures and constitutions.
Management agreements between tourism Joint Venture (JV) partners and custodianship agreements between the conservancies and the government.
Strong partnerships with other conservation NGO’s in the landscape
Conservation is a success when all stakeholders are equally engaged
Local knowledge is essential and can be a good guidance in decision making
Engagement enables us to identify and agree on areas of need and improvement
SAPA Assessment - Public Participation with Local Community
WWF-Kenya
SAPA Assessment - Public Participation with Local Institutions
WWF-Kenya
While the WIO-COMPAS programme aims at improving the individual capacity of MPA professionals, it also has a compounding effect on the management effectiveness of an MPA. Therefore, a prior assessment on the different aspects of MPA management effectiveness is necessary for monitoring, evaluation, learning and adaptive management purposes.
It is thus recommended that the MPA implementing this process commences with at least one of the following assessments
Combined, these highlight gaps in the different aspects of an MPA, including management, governance, ecological health, and social wellbeing. These gaps can be used to tailor the WIO-COMPAS training programme towards addressing the gaps identified.
Institutional Recognition and Support: The institution managing the MPA must see the necessity of assessing the management status of MPAs. This will ensure appropriate funding allocation in the long term to facilitate the continual capacity growth of the MPA.
Capacity to Conduct the Assessments: Internal capacity is desired to reduce costs. However, external expertise may be sourced where necessary where capacity is lacking. This may include working with partner institutions on a pro bono basis or using a consultant to conduct the entire assessment.
Prior planning: It is necessary to consider the entire process beforehand. This includes identifying the expertise/personnel needed, the duration for the exercise, and any costs associated with it. Additionally, it is important to allocate specific tasks to the individual assessment team members to ensure the objectives of the exercise are fully met in good time.
Public participation: Engaging the MPA staff alone in the assessments leads to positively skewed results. Consequently, it is necessary to acquire views from other stakeholders as well to get a more holistic picture of the management gaps that the MPA is facing. It will therefore be necessary to map out stakeholders, including their influence and interests in the MPA, before the assessments.
Stakeholders’ engagement and sensitisation of local population
Working with local authorities (City Hall, Military and National Police) required prior strategic meetings and training of their personnel. Training prepared the military personnel for assistance in night patrols throughout the season, providing security to our employees whilst also sensitising them to conservation practices. It is common to receive job applications from military personnel after they have finished their service due to this experience and sensitisation. Meetings with the city hall and national police allow the conservation strategy to be shared, allowing for more effective response to infractions during the season. Whilst this was an uncommon event, even those infrequent encounters allowed for engagement and sensitisation of police officers and technicians of the council. Community engagement through initiatives such as the partnership with the local fishermen’s associations, was successful in sensitisation of a key community in conservation practices. This was achieved through giving incentives to the association (e.g. donation of material) in return for volunteer patrols of a beach neighbouring the MPA of Costa Fragata.
Contact and training with the relevant authorities; City hall, Military, National Police. An established connection with the community groups targeted through previous partnerships/projects or a spokesperson within that community that can encourage their community to partake in such initiatives. Continuous communication and follow up with all stakeholders throughout the project implementation and after through alternative means of sensitisation.
Direct employment is not necessarily the best and only option to engage with the local community. Constant presence before, during and after project implementation is key to a strong partnership or sensitization effect within the community and the stakeholders. Understanding the motivations or requirements of targeted communities and stakeholders can allow for a stronger, longer lasting partnership. The more knowledge and skills that can be shared in preparation for implementation of the project allows for a more effective implementation of the strategy. An example in this case, with the training of the military prior to the initiation of the patrols, a greater level of participation and interest was observed from the soldiers.
