The Nature Conservancy in Africa

Addressing unsustainable fishing through a multifaceted approach. Kiunga Community Wildlife Association (KICOWA) recently hosted a lively event to celebrate significant achievements in fisheries in Kenya. The event featured the handover of two Women Fishing Boats, two Patrol Boats, nine Fishers' Outboard Engines, and sixty-four sets of sustainable fishing gear, including hooks and lines, to fisher communities in Kiunga, Lamu County. This is part of the Fishing Gear Exchange Program (GEP) funded by The Nature Conservancy, Fauna & Flora , Basecamp Explorer Foundation, Northern Rangelands Trust, and implemented in collaboration with Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) OFFICIAL, Kenya Fisheries Service, County Government of Lamu, which catalyses fisheries co-management interventions. A great collaboration and partnership for lasting success. The new equipment will enable fishers to engage in 🎣 sustainable fishing, 🌊 access fishing grounds safely, and 🐠 enhance marine resource monitoring and protection. This initiative will not only improve the lives of the fisher community in Kiunga but also contribute to the conservation of their marine resources. Additionally, during the event, fifty-five Youth Leadership and Management Program Trainees, twenty-five Coral Reef Restoration Course graduates, and eight Qualified Open Water and Reef Restoration Ranger Divers were honoured and awarded certificates for their accomplishments. The initiative is part of The Nature Conservancy in Africa and partners holistic and multi-faceted approach of ensuring sustainable fishing, increased biodiversity conservation, decreased illegal fishing activities, and improved socioeconomic resilience of fisheries resources and people. During the event, David Ouma, Marine Fisheries Officer (Kenya) at The Nature Conservancy, underscored the importance of collaboration between partners in promoting a sustainable blue economy agenda that includes environmental conservation, economic development, and gender equity. The Government was urged to consider exploring innovative financing options to fund sustainable marine development and protection in Kenya to address barriers to achieving a sustainable blue economy. It was suggested that the adoption of the ‘Nature Bonds’ (also known as ‘blue’ or ‘green’ bonds) and including the ocean sector alongside freshwater and terrestrial resources would provide a significant impact on Kenya’s ocean and financing of its blue economy. 🎥 Watch: Kiunga Fishers Embrace Sustainable Fishing: https://lnkd.in/dhFPHXeY

While Africa is home to more than a fourth of global biodiversity, the untold and arising existential crises of biodiversity loss and climate change pose a huge challenge to the continent. Over the past week, I joined our team to participate in the Africa Conservation Forum (ACF), convened by IUCN, one of the leading regional platforms to strategically influence the sustainability agenda and biodiversity conservation. 🌿 The ACF addresses these issues by focusing on sustainable nature-based solutions that balance ecological health with community wellbeing and economic development. The forum is crucial for setting conservation priorities, influencing policy, and stimulating, international cooperation and investment in conservation. 👥 The Nature Conservancy in Africa actively involves communities in conservation efforts, ensuring that over 500,000 Africans are directly participating in and benefiting from sustainable practices that enhance their environmental stewardship and economic well-being. 💧 For instance, the Upper Tana-Nairobi Water Fund, through community engagement and sustainable land management practices, has significantly improved water quality for 9 million people. This project not only supports the livelihoods of farming families but also enhances the freshwater ecosystem, demonstrating a model that can be replicated across the continent. Building on this success, we hosted a webinar during the ACF on Africa Water Funds. Here, we shared the decade-long experience of The Nature Conservancy and our partners in protecting and restoring watersheds across Africa through the Water Funds model. A big thank you to our expert panel, including John Owino - Water Programme, Africa, Elizabeth Wathuti , O.G.W - Global Environmental Champion/Nairobi Rivers Commission and Water Fund’s board, Tommy Garnett - EFA, Sierra Leone and IUCN member organization, Fred Kihara - The Nature Conservancy Africa Water Funds Director & Trustee, Nairobi Water Fund, Dr. Joseph Onoja - Director General, NCF Nigeria, and Dr. Stella Wanjala, PHD - Director, Women in Water & Natural Resources Conservation (WWANC). 🔗 Discover more about how we are scaling the Water Funds model across the continent: https://lnkd.in/drQJRWkZ 📸 IUCN

As part of our aim to promote the exchange of experiences between Angola and Brazil on best practices in community co-management and the protection of continental fisheries resources, our team of global fisheries experts met with representatives of fishing cooperatives in the Cubango-Okavango River Basin. The team, led by Victor Barreto, our ‪Okavango Basin Fisheries Specialist, included Fernanda Silva, ‪Amazon Freshwater Fisheries Conservation Scientist, The Nature Conservancy Brasil and Sui Chian Phang, ‪Freshwater Fisheries Deputy Director with The Nature Conservancy. In the Okavango basin, fishing takes place mainly in the lower reaches of the Cubango and Cuito sub-basins. Literature and anecdotal evidence indicate a substantial decline in fish catches throughout the basin in Angola and in the waters shared by the Cubango with Namibia. This decline is partly due to illegal fishing gear, such as small mesh monofilament gillnets, which are not selective in removing biomass from rivers. Fisheries co-management approaches have proven that they can help stabilize fish stocks while supporting rural livelihoods dependent on fishing. The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy - Angola, aims to strengthen governance so that communities can manage their fishing resources sustainably, promoting biodiversity protection and population well-being. Our specific objectives in the region include: 🛶 Developing local skills in fisheries management. 🎣 Integrating knowledge for sustainable river fishing. 🐟 Addressing impacts from fishing and other human activities. 🤝🏾 Facilitating stakeholder dialogue. 💙 Integrating artisanal fisheries into conservation measures. 🔗 Discover more about our work to protect one of the planet’s greatest remaining natural wonders, and how we are racing to secure its vulnerable headwaters: https://lnkd.in/dBA35Qhf 📸: Ulrich Janse van Vuuren

We recently hosted the Workshop on the Governance of Artisanal Continental (River) Fisheries in Luanda, a collaborative initiative between the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources and The Nature Conservancy - Angola and The Nature Conservancy Brasil. The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy - Angola, aims to enhance governance to enable communities to manage their fishing resources sustainably, promoting biodiversity protection and the well-being of people. This includes: 🤝🏾 Support Fishing Communities: Supporting women and youth to improve their livelihoods. 💰 Promote Socio-Economic Development: Fostering growth and development locally. 🌱 Ecosystem Conservation: Implement efficient governance at the community level. 🐠 Protect Fishing Reserves: Ensure the conservation of fishing reserves and other protected areas. 🎣 Exchange Best Practices: Facilitate experience sharing between Angola and Brazil on community co-management and resource protection. 📈 Policy Improvement: Identify opportunities to enhance policies for the prosperity of artisanal fishing and conservation. By strengthening governance in inland artisanal fisheries, we aim to support communities in sustainably managing their resources, promoting biodiversity, and enhancing the well-being of riverine populations in the Okavango Basin and other freshwater systems in Angola. 🔗 Discover more about how we are working to safeguard the vulnerable headwaters of the Okavango: https://lnkd.in/dBA35Qhf

Join our webinar as we share the decade-long experience of The Nature Conservancy in Africa and our partners in protecting and restoring critical watersheds across Africa through the Water Funds model. #ACF2024 🗓️: Tuesday, 2 July, 13:00 - 14:00 (EAT) 🔗: https://lnkd.in/dWr44rYM IUCN, IUCN-PAPACO (Programme on African Protected Areas and Conservation)

Richard Bugan, our Science, ME&L Manager at The Nature Conservancy in Africa, participated in a panel of conservation experts and partners during the CapeNature Conservation Review. The session, themed "From Tributary to Tap," focused on ground-breaking innovations in Invasive Alien Plant control, and included WWF South Africa, The Nature Conservancy, CapeNature, Jasper Slingsby, University of Cape Town, and Andrew Turner. The panel delved into how we are expanding and diversifying invasive species clearing methods through partnerships, especially on CapeNature land, including collaborations like The Nature Conservancy’s Greater Cape Town Water Fund (GCTWF) to tackle this challenge effectively. Richard also shared insights on the GCTWF’s Decision Support System (DSS), an interactive online dashboard tracking partner activities, enabling prioritisation, and facilitating collective planning. 💧 Invasive trees in the Greater Cape Town watershed soak up over 54 billion litres of water annually, preventing it from reaching the Theewaterskloof Dam. This dam is crucial for Cape Town’s 4 million residents, neighbouring municipalities, and agriculture. 🌲 A key GCTWF component is removing invasive trees like acacia, pine, and eucalyptus, which consume vast amounts of water. As of April 2024, over 31,000 hectares have received initial clearing, and 20,000 hectares have had follow-up treatments, recovering 17.1 billion litres of water annually—47 million litres daily. The CapeNature Conservation Review is a high-level event hosted annually by CapeNature, showcasing achievements in biodiversity conservation. CapeNature highlighted achievements realised through sound governance, its commitment, and exceptional partnerships. The CapeNature Conservation Review showcased these achievements, aligning with the theme "Journey to a Greener Tomorrow, Together." 🔗 Discover more about how we are using nature-based solutions to protect Cape Town’s water supply: https://lnkd.in/dfeJRuAh

Helena Sims, Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan Project Manager with The Nature Conservancy in Africa, talks about her work supporting marine conservation, including protection, climate adaptation, and blue economy opportunities. 🌊🌍 🔗 Discover more about our work in Seychelles: nature.org/Seychelles

At The Nature Conservancy, we’re innovating ways to generate sustainable revenue for conservation, directing funds to projects that manage and protect biodiversity while benefiting communities. Sustainable finance is crucial for preserving Africa’s rich natural capital which plays a significant role in the well-being of communities and acts as a critical carbon sink. Sustainable finance can fund projects aimed at building climate-resilient infrastructure and implementing climate adaptation strategies to protect vulnerable communities. For instance, in Zambia, we led the effort to secure $16 million to safeguard wildlife populations and facilitate sustainable growth within the country. 🐘🌳 Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change, including droughts, floods, and extreme weather events. It faces the fastest loss of its forests globally, posing a critical threat to natural ecosystems and the planet's overall health. We recognise that sustainable practices thrive when built in partnership with communities who have been the custodians of these resources for generations. Our role is to provide ideas and scientific insights to support these resource stewards. By engaging with local communities from the outset, we ensure their invaluable knowledge shapes sustainable financial solutions. Together, we co-create plans that align with communities’ priorities. Our partnerships with Indigenous Peoples and local communities offer opportunities for mutual learning, sharing, and benefit. 🤝🏾🌱 #ACF2024 📸 © Roshni Lodhia Learn more about our work in Zambia: 🔗 nature.org/Zambia

The Nature Conservancy is spearheading efforts to protect and restore over 10 million hectares of critical habitats in Africa, home to some of the world's most diverse ecosystems. With the aim of sequestering up to 1 billion tons of CO2 annually, through the Africa Forest Carbon Catalyst, we are supporting innovative projects that protect forests, create jobs, and improve livelihoods of more than 500,000 Africans. The Africa Forest Carbon Catalyst supports innovative projects that not only combat deforestation but also enhance local livelihoods and create jobs. Together, we can slow and even reverse forest loss in Africa, making a lasting impact on our planet. Learn more about this initiative and join us in this vital mission: https://lnkd.in/e66Pw_TW 📸 © Roshni Lodhia #ACF2024 IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa

Recently, our Africa Development Team gathered for a strategic planning session in Charleston, S.C. Colleagues from The Nature Conservancy in Africa and global teams from marketing, external affairs, conservation, and leadership joined the session, facilitated by Tina Yoon and Alicia Frascati from the Philanthropy Consulting Team within Global Development. The primary objective of this crucial session was to prepare for our upcoming 📊 campaign, ensuring 🌱 alignment across departments and 🤝🏾 maximising our impact. This week of intensive collaboration and strategising has set the stage for a successful campaign ahead.