Kenya: Hear from indigenous peoples on conservation, says NGO leader

Indigenous and local communities should be given the opportunity to speak out about their social, economic and conservation issues, the head of a non-governmental organization said.

World Wildlife Fund-Kenya CEO Mohammed Awer says conservation approaches designed in collaboration with communities and indigenous peoples can help mitigate negative social impacts while providing lasting incentives – and benefits – for sustainable management of natural resources.

Awer spoke on Monday in Olpusimoru, on the border between Kenya and Tanzania, during the handing over of three 3,000-liter solar milk cooling plants to three groups of women from the conservancies of Olderkesi, Olkinyei and Lemek.

He urged leaders, NGOs and partners in the tourism sector to respect the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities.

Nature-based solutions

“Interventions such as nature-based solutions add to the efforts of local people like the Maasai community living along the Kenya-Tanzania border,” he said.

“Their legitimate voice must be heard. Leaders must amplify the voice of Maasai and other indigenous communities. Hold forums for them to discuss how best to move this agenda forward.”

In the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak, WWF-Kenya, he said, donors have provided emergency grants of around 2.5 million euros to support people in large areas by Mara and Tsavo.

“It was part of our BMZ-funded climate change adaptation project,” he said.

In the Olderkesi reserve, the community has also benefited from a 5,000 cubic meter water basin that will be used by people and their livestock. Groups of local young people received 100 beehives to start a beekeeping project.

Water tanks

Lemek and Olkinyei reserves also benefited from two water basins to help mitigate human-wildlife conflict, with 24 predator-proof bomas for communities to minimize such conflict.

The cross-border initiative is ecologically connected and animals move around the targeted area. But it’s not business as usual given the unique circumstances of the region.

The region’s population has quadrupled over the past 40 years and will reach 100 million over the next 40 years.

“We need to take proactive measures to ensure that people have enough space by offering the right development initiatives, but also to ensure that there is space left for wildlife,” said Awer.

Monitoring equipment

Water reservoirs serve wildlife and livestock. Each of the three conservatories also received two motorcycles and wildlife monitoring equipment, including six GPS devices, seven binoculars, 105 camera traps and computers.

Olderkesi Women’s Group President Nayoi Lukeine said: “This project has given us a positive outlook and will help women develop their own businesses.

Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo, who attended the launch, echoed WWF-Kenya’s sentiments.

“The conservation model is the way to the future because of climate change. The politics that pit communities against each other is unacceptable,” he said.

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