This block is very crucial because it ensures that there is law and order in the communities. It involves setting up by-laws that guide in implementing the project initiative. It also involves putting penalties against particular illegal activities, e.g. cutting trees without permission. These laws are better enforced when the communities make them on their own while facilitated by the extension worker.
Enabling factors include: involvement of traditional leaders and also making the laws by the whole community at large.
We learned that stiff penalties for offenders were necessary to deter others from committing similar offenses.
- education, training and other capacity development activities
The purpose of this block is to ensure that the communities have the appropriate knowledge and expertise about that particular project initiative so that it is sustained in the long run after the project phases out. It involves field training and setting up demonstration fields that are used as learning points for the communities. This way, it is easy for communities to engage in an initiative that has worked right in their community.
Availability of funds to purchase training materials and refreshments for community meetings.
Ability of communities to change mindset towards particular interventions.
Well-trained facilitators.
We learnt that the government staff already available in the Extension Planning Areas were the appropriate facilitators for certain activities. Their involvement also facilitated continued monitoring of activities long after the project phases out
This is a very crucial parameter because it involves bringing together at least 2 institutions to work towards achieving one goal of the project. Each organization has different roles and activities but these different roles are aimed at achieving the same goals.
Frequent stakeholder meetings
Openness and willingness to share ideas
Putting in place plans of operations
In implementing this block it was discovered that impact was huge because there was much focus on every activity being done. This was due to the fact that each institution has its roles clearly defined. The sharing of roles removed pressure from the other implementing partner. But we also learnt that lack of frequent meetings to share ideas resulted in poor service delivery.
Technology knows no barriers and we are yet to innovate and discover more with a changing world.
By using the underwater cameras it has allowed us to bring ahead the live viewing and monitoring where previosuly we were limited. Thus allowing us to better engage with local fisher community, for them to get a sense of ownership and unite to better understand and protect this ecosystem.
This has also facilitated the data sharing of the status of the reef locally and across different channels but also to open the door for more scientific collaboration locally and internationally.
Local community buy-in
Interactive technology
Data sharing
Technology here not only brought live viewing and interaction but a completely new level of underwater restoration. Fish and coral interaction can be securely monitored allowing scientist to discover more about underwater interactions.
This project cannot succeed on its own. For the long-term success of coral reef restoration, it was important to develop strong collaboration with locals, fisher communities, other stakeholders. Through the Tech4Nature partnership, we were able to get more support and engage locally with other stakeholders.
By engaging the fisher communities in coral reef restoration from the beginning of the project and allowing them to take part in eco-tourism activities. This not only saved the area from further damage but allowed the fishermen to generate more incomes through sustainable touristic activities while also enjoying the overspill of increased fish abundance in the area.
Close-up monitoring by local communities
Ownership by fishermen communities
Strong partnership with local companies
This has allowed us to continiously bring the work done underwater to the general public (global level).
Pathogen and disease detection under the PREDICT and PREDICT-2 projects as well as other research initiatives have generated a strong evidence base on the drivers of zoonotic diseases. In Liberia, the finding of Ebola virus antibodies in a bat provided evidence that Ebola is circulating in wildlife in the West Africa region and signaled that there are ongoing spillover risks requiring public health attention.
Involvement and partnership of international and national institutions ensured best practices in research activities. The National Public Health Institute provided important leadership to support outreach on the significance of the Ebola finding. Another key factor was the model practices demonstrated by the sampling team, involving safe handling and sampling and attention to animal welfare, which itself helped to increased awareness of these aspects by observant communities.
In the past, communities in Liberia have distrusted foreign researchers and do not typically have direct access to the findings from research activities. Communities were aware of the sampling activities around their villages; by seeing Liberian scientists involved in this work with their own eyes, they were more receptive to the findings.
