NAIROBI, Kenya (PAMACC News) - Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya on Monday officiated the opening of the Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies at the University of Nairobi's Upper Kabete Campus. The Institute, whose construction commenced in 2016, was set up by the Government to advance the legacy of the 2004 Kenyan Nobel Laureate Prof Wangari Maathai. The institute was handed over to the University of Nairobi in May 2019. Speaking at the launch, attended by the University of Nairobi's top leadership led by Chancellor Dr Vijoo Rattansi, acting Vice Chancellor Prof Julius Ogengo and Chair of Council Prof Amukowa Anangwe , CS Tuya said the institute would immortalize Prof Maathai's legacy and thanked various partners for supporting its construction. "Thank you too for immortalizing the great Nobel Peace Laureate Prof Wangari Maathai by establishing this institute. I would like to, in a very special way, thank the African Union, the African Development Bank, the Clinton Global Initiative, DANIDA and all the partners who helped make this institute a reality," Hon Tuya said. "I am informed that the institute aims to carry forward Prof Maathai’s legacy by promoting research, education, and community engagement in the field of environmental governance, cultures of peace, climate adaptation, sustainable development, and conservation," she added. The Cabinet Secretary recalled Prof Maathai's exploits as a scholar and environmentalist noting that besides making history as the first African woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her environmental work, she had set other records including being the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a PhD in biology. "As Kenyans, we forever remain proud of Prof Maathai's achievements. In fact, I personally draw so much inspiration from her in my day-to-day work as Cabinet Secretary responsible for environment, climate change and forestry because as you know she also served in the Ministry as an Assistant Minister," CS Tuya said. The Cabinet Secretary said her Ministry will collaborate closely with the Wangari Maathai Institute (WMI) on programmes that will help Kenya and the region to overcome challenges posed by climate change including conflicts over shrinking natural resources. "I would like to challenge the faculty and students at this institute to especially research and conceptualize the practical nexus of environment, conflict, and peace. "Emerging evidence and statistics are stark, including the 6th IPCC Assessment Report which shows that environment and climate factors are becoming critical drivers of insecurity, manifesting in inter and intrastate conflicts, with Africa being specially affected," CS Tuya noted. Hon Tuya also spoke at length about ongoing climate action programmes in her Ministry including the 15 billion national tree growing and ecosystem restoration programme, sustainable waste management, and the forthcoming inaugural Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi. "The late Professor Wangari Maathai led Kenyans and the world to plant trees and to build strong nature-based livelihoods especially for women and youth at the community and grassroots level. "My Ministry is building upon this legacy to carry…

LUSAKA, Zambia (PAMACC News) - Dickson Zulu is part of the traditional leadership of Mphoza Village in Chief Nzamane's Chiefdom of the Ngoni people in the Eastern Province. For over five decades, he has been farming on a piece of land left to him by his late parents. However, in recent times, he has seen shrinking yields with each passing farming season from his farmland. He blames this on what he terms 'tired crop land'. In other words, due to conventional farming methods involving continuous tilling and the use of synthetic fertilizers, Headman Zulu believes the land has been overused and has lost fertility for profitable farming activities. “Our forefathers used the same land and left it to us. With continuous fertilizer use and tilling, I think we have overused this land to a point that it can no longer support profitable agricultural activities,” says Headman Zulu. “You see,” Zulu continues, “In the late 90s and early 2000s, we witnessed a massive migration of people from this area in search of fertile crop farmland. Most of the people who left went and settled mainly in the fertile portions of Mambwe District, which was then, and up to now considered to still have virgin and fertile crop land. Had it not been that I am a traditional leader, I would have left as well,” Headman Zulu laments about his predicament. The semi-arid district of Mambwe, located approximately 700 km from Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, lies in the Luangwa Valley, northwest of the Eastern Provincial capital, Chipata. Mainly inhabited by the Kunda people, the district is located in the country's agro-ecological region I, which receives less than 800mm of rainfall annually. It is thus more famous for tourism than agriculture, as it hosts the South Luangwa National Park—considered one of the last remaining unspoiled regions of Africa, offering a unique and unforgettable safari experience. However, while most of the local people depend on seasonal jobs in the tourism sector (safari and tour operators), the surrounding Game Management Area (GMA), particularly on the eastern border with the recently declared Chipangali District and parts of the Msoro area bordering Katete District in the south, still has portions of virgin and fertile land for agricultural activities. The aforementioned areas have in the last two decades seen an influx of farmers from other parts of the province seeking fertile cropland for agricultural activities. Internal Migration and Climate Change Internal migration caused by a mix of factors, particularly environmental degradation resulting from poor land husbandry practices, as well as intensifying climate variability and extremes, has led to increased encroachment into the buffer zone between the National Park and the GMA. This has resulted in increased human-animal conflicts and poaching activities. This trend confirms new and emerging research by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR FOCUS Climate Security), which indicates that internal displacement and mobility patterns have also been reinforced by climate variability and extremes with dire implications for human security and social stability more broadly. The…

KILIFI, Kenya (PAMACC News) - It is Mid July, and a team of 25 women and youths selected from all the seven Sub Counties of Kilifi County are gathered at the Mtwapa Energy Centre in the heart of Kilifi County on a three day mission to learn how to mould a unique cook stove known as ‘kuni mbili’ which uses only two pieces of firewood at a time. In general, the county’s main source of cooking energy particularly within rural communities is largely firewood burned at the centre of the traditional three stones, of which most of the heat escapes into the open air. “Our target is to train residents on how to minimise the use of biomass used for cooking as much as possible, while at the same time ensuring that there is efficiency of cooking as a way of protecting the environment and reducing risks associated with excess smoke at household levels,” said Mohamed Shuqry, the Coordinator at the Mtwapa Energy Centre. The centre is one of the facilities that were established under the Rural Electrification and Ennergy Corporation (REREC) to promote environment friendly energy development and dissemination at county levels across the country. Shuqry notes that kuni mbili cook stove is designed with a lining made of fire treated clay. “The lining keeps the heat on target, which leads to minimum use of biomass, but maximum and efficient utilisation of the heat,” he said. The initiative is in line with the Kilifi County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP), which seeks promote energy efficiency by promoting the use of clean cook stoves and energy saving jikos in institutions and at household level. The programme to build capacities and create awareness of environment friendly cooking solutions in Kilifi is driven by collaboration between the County Government, the Clean Cooking Association of Kenya (CCAK), World Wide Fund (WWF) and community based organisations under the Voices for Just Climate Action (VCA). According to Philomena Mitalo, the Programme Officer at CCAK, uptake of the improved cook stoves, most of which are imported has been very low because of the high taxes. “The costs of these stoves outweigh benefits, thereby impeding national climate and sustainable development goals,” she told the Climate Action. CCAK has been on the forefront trying to influence policy and fiscal environment in regards to import duty and Value Added Tax (VAT) that is affecting access and adoption to clean cooking solutions especially among the rural poor. To mitigate this, Kilifi County has installed briquette making machines in each of the seven Sub Counties for local communities to use for briquette making instead of relying on charcoal and wood fuel. Studies have shown that briquettes, which are compressed block of charcoal dust or other combustible biomass materials mixed with clay, have a higher thermal calorific value and lower ash content compared to charcoal. Alice Katiwa Mwiza from Guruguru village in Kaloleni Sub County says that briquette making has now become one of her sources of income. “I have taken briquette making…

YAOUNDE, Cameroon (PAMACC News) - The African Forest Forum, AFF working with African governments and other international partners have been supporting research, innovation and knowledge building in the forestry sector to better improve livelihoods and fight against climate change in the continent. Some 15 PHD and 3 Msc. research students in forest conservation management from 10 African countries who benefitted from such funding , have presented their findings at a knowledge sharing regional workshop in Nairobi,Kenya July 3-7 , 2023. Environment experts agree the research findings present some interesting results that will help drive the fight against climate change and improve livelihoods of the population in the continent. " The findings show a lot of challenges but at the same time opportunities and resource potentials that will go a long way to drive the fight against climate change," says Ben Chikamani Executive Secretary at Network for Natural Gums and Resins in Africa (NGARA) Kenya and one of the chairs of the discussion and exchange session of the workshop. He adds that the research findings will reinforce synergy in the global fight against climate change and the push for sustainable development goals in line with article 13 of UN NDGs https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/women-and-the-sdgs/sdg-13-climate-action/ The goals accordingly call for the improvement of human and institutional capacity to fight climate change . It is against this backdrop that the knowledge sharing workshop focused on the theme « Forest and Tree-based ecosystems services for socio-ecological resilence to climate change in Africa » according to AFF . The students carried out their studies in different ecosystems( Sahel parklands,moist forest,mangroves and woodland) on varied Forest issues like Forest cover dynamics, forest ecosystems goods and services, dynamics of fruit trees, ecosystem services and reduction of the vulnerability of populations to climate change , adaptation of tropical trees species to climate change, Contribution of coffee and cocoa agroforests in adapting to climate change, Climate change and climate justice: a gender analysis of REDD+ . Basiru Adenyi Okanlawon PHD student from Nigeria worked on « Climate change and climate justice ; a gender analysis of Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest degradation (REDD+) » in the South of Cross River ,Nigeria . He notes in his findings that International NGOs and organisations were more concerned in driving gender mainstreaming than local NGOs and the government as evidenced by the number of available funded projects on the ground . « In Nigeria cultural norms impede women from getting involved with men in development actions. They must seek and get the consent of their men, who are reluctant to accept » Okanlawon says . This explains why according to his findings only 7 % of women in the South of Cross River are engaged in REDD+ activities . Another PHD research students Alice Jebiwott from Kenya worked on « An assessment of Mau Forest Cover, Climate Change and impacts of Evictions on livelihoods in the Rift-Valley, Kenya » She notes in her findings that the eviction of Rift Valley forest population from their…