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Alliance for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP&LCs) for Conservation in Africa (AICA) Congress 2023

Alliance for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP&LCs) for Conservation in Africa (AICA) Congress 2023

25th to 27th October 2023

The first ever Alliance for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP&LCs) for Conservation in Africa (AICA) Congress  aims to prioritize the engagement of Africa’s Indigenous People and Local Communities (IPLCs) in policy arenas relevant to their land, territories and conservation. It focuses on four interlocking priority areas, which include establishing and operationalizing a Pan-African IPLC body, advocating for IPLCs’ rights and representation, putting people at the center of conservation efforts, and promoting inclusive governance and the economic value of conserved areas for IPLCs.

 

The congress thematic areas are aligned with the Alliance’s four interlocking priority areas: Establishment and operationalization of a Pan-African IPLC body, Advocacy, Campaigns and Strategic Engagement, putting people at the center of conservation, and promoting inclusive governance and mobilizing the economic value of conserved areas for IPLCs.

The congress aims to convene around 300 participants drawn from grassroots communities, Indigenous Peoples Organization leaders, Development Partners, Conservation NGOs/ CSOs, African Governments and other important actors in conservation in Africa.

The event will help define a roadmap for the emerging Alliance for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities for Conservation in Africa for the next five years.


The Indigenous Peoples’ and Local Communities’ Conservation Congress in Namibia is co-hosted by RRI and the Alliance for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities for Conservation in Africa (AICA), in collaboration with Southern Africa’s Community Leaders Network (CLN); the Indigenous Movement for Peace Advancement and Conflict Transformation (IMPACT); and the Namibian Association of Community Based Natural Resource Management Support Organizations (NACSO).The event seeks to articulate a rights-based, people-centered conservation strategy for the continent and promote inclusive, equitable, and rights-based governance and conservation in Africa.Indigenous and local community leaders, conservation organizations, government officials, and donors from over 41 countries will share their lived experiences, lessons and challenges around community-led conservation approaches.

See the daily proceedings at:

https://communitylandsummit.org/

Together, we make an impact.

Stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples for land rights, sustainable livelihoods, and cultural preservation.

Camel Caravan

Camel Caravan

Background

In the past few years, the socio-economic circumstances of pastoralists in the North of Kenya have seen a steady decline. The decreasing water levels in the wider Ewaso Ng’iro Catchment have continued to be a source of conflict, displacement, and loss of livelihoods. Water volume has recorded a steady decline and has also, at times, dried up completely. Competition for access to this water has resulted in bloody conflicts amongst herders. The unregulated extraction of water by the farming community upstream has contributed largely to the drying up of the river.

IMPACT has, since 2013, been conducting the Camel Caravan to try and assist the communities in the area and create awareness for their plight. The Camel caravan has been successful in encouraging the government and other stakeholders to come together with the aim of addressing the pressing water challenges and conflict connected with it.

The Ewaso Nyiro Camel Caravan is held every year and includes a five-day trek along the Ewaso Nyiro Ecosystem. Participants interact with local communities promoting coexistence and equitable sharing of scarce resources. The theme of the Camel Caravan 2019 was ‘Saving Ewaso Ngiro-Promoting Cohesion and Securing Livelihoods of Communities in the Ewaso Ecosystem’. 

Objectives

The purpose of this yearly activity is to:

  • Create awareness on the importance of conserving water catchment areas.

  • Create a platform for indigenous communities to interact and embrace cultural diversity.

  • Bring together different stakeholders and other government policymakers.

  • Identify peace strategies that will help in the mitigation of conflicts among the pastoralist communities.

  • For more info Download Camel Caravan PDF

Together, we make an impact.

Stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples for land rights, sustainable livelihoods, and cultural preservation.

Camel Caravan

Last year IMPACT in collaboration with other development partners convened the first ever Community Land Summit which brought together the voices of communities from 24 counties with undissolved communal lands as identified by the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning.The CLS also brought together government actors and other stakeholders to discuss on the community land registration processes five years after the enactment of the CLA 2016.

This is where it was decided that the Community Land Summit will be a premiere global land event that brings together all stakeholders to advocate and champion for communities to amplify their voices,share experiences, and take practical actions that ensure the rights of communities and indigenous peoples are protected

The 2nd edition of the Community Land Summit was held last week this time cutting across Africa.The event dubbed “The East African Indigenous Peoples’ Land Summit 2022” was co-convened by IMPACT Kenya and PARAN Alliance in collaboration with other partners. The Summit was held under the theme: Amplifying Collective Voices of Indigenous Peoples through Inclusive Dialogues and Learning to Enhance Land Rights for Livelihoods and Conservation in East Africa. The Summit built on the success of the first Community Land Summit held in December 2021 in Nanyuki Town, Kenya.

This year’s the Summit brought together Indigenous Peoples; pastoralist and hunter-gatherer communities from Eastern Africa (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, DRC, Rwanda and Burundi) to share and learn from each other on current issues affecting them, directly engage policy makers from governments, regional and sub-regional governmental organizations including AU, RECs, CSOs, the private sector and other actors; and together forge the way forward towards addressing those challenges. Over 300 IP community delegates from East Africa, high level representatives from the Africa Union, Regional economic communities, National and County Governments, Development actors, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Private sector, researchers and the academia attended. The summit adopted inclusive and consultative dialogues, cultural exchanges, discussions, plenary and other innovative approaches that ensured effective engagement of all participants.

As a result of this Summit, a communique and report summarizing the discussions, propositions, and recommendations for action to enhance land rights for livelihoods and conservation in East Africa were developed.Click the link below to download the copies.

For more info:

https://communitylandsummit.org/

Together, we make an impact.

Stand in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples for land rights, sustainable livelihoods, and cultural preservation.

African Protected Areas Congress (APAC) 2022

African Protected Areas Congress (APAC) 2022

The African Protected Areas Congress (APAC) that took place from 17-23rd July 2022 in Kigali, Rwanda, being deliberated by the IUCN was the first one ever organized targeting the whole of Africa.

The APAC congress placed the African protected and conserved areas within the broader goals of economic development and community well-being and increasing the understanding of the crucial roles of the African protected areas in the conservation of biodiversity and delivering ecosystem services that underpin human welfare and livelihoods.

The Congress advanced an ambitious agenda that inspired sustainable solutions for today’s most pressing conservation and livelihood challenges in Africa. It brought together African leaders including heads of states, ministers and government agencies, citizens, political and community leaders, protected area practitioners, professionals from diverse fields, scholars, researchers, the youth, partners and stakeholders from public and private sectors and interested parties from across the continent – they discussed how to protect Africa’s resources, and to develop a strong and united voice in the management of protected areas, biodiversity conservation, sustainable development while conserving Africans cultural heritage and traditions.

​The African conservation agenda was expected to review Africa’s overall progress towards implementing global commitments related to conservation as well as discuss challenges related to biodiversity and showcase inspiring African examples of sustainable solutions that harmonize conservation and human development goals.

Over 2000 delegates from every African country forged partnerships and commitments to help secure a sustainable future for Africa’s protected areas, people and biodiversity. Participants identified key issues and challenges, and showcased inspiring African examples of practical, innovative, sustainable and replicable solutions that harmonize conservation and human development goals. They also developed priorities and strategies on issues of common interest and provided a consolidated African input into the development of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The forum reported on the progress made in implementing relevant regional and global commitments and identified new steps and alliances to address Africa’s unique challenges.

Our CEO Mr. Mali Ole Kaunga was one of the main panelists, he presented a theme on “Strengthening Inclusive & just conservation of land & other natural resources in Northern Kenya by facilitating solutions tailored to the context, conceived & run by Indigenous People”. This seeks to strengthen & sustain values that embody inclusive conservation through networking for mutually beneficial learning, sharing & empowerment. Inclusive conservation initiatives depend on the strength of the communities themselves.

IMPACT Kenya and ICCA will also hosted side events during the APAC to discuss issues such as:

  • Pathway to inclusive and Just conservation
  • Securing Indigenous Peoples’ tenure rights towards sustainable biodiversity
  • Resource mobilization and Indigenous peoples’ role in accountability and mechanisms of the resources
APAC Nairobi Preparatory

The indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ experiences with conservation are of mixed responses with a considerable number indicating that conservation is a means of losing customary tenure rights and natural resources rights, displacement and disconnecting from ancestral territories and a trail of human rights abuses among other concerns. Indigenous Peoples’ organizations founded and led by well-known leaders are joining efforts to ensure that indigenous peoples concern, voices and issues are at the APAC.

The organizations include the Indigenous Movement for Peace Advancement and Conflict Transformation (IMPACT- Kenya), Pastoralists Alliance for Resilience and Adaptation in North Rangelands (PARAN- Kenya), Pastoralists Indigenous Non-Government Organizations’ Forum (PINGOs Forum -Tanzania), Ujamaa Community Resource Team (UCRT -Tanzania), Pastoralists Women’s Council, Indigenous Information Network, Pastoralists Forum of Ethiopia (PTE), Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee (IPACC), OPDP (Ogiek Peoples Development Program), Association of Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad (AFPAT), Friends of Lake Turkana(Fault), the Network of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities for the Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystems (REPALEF – DRC), Strong Roots – Congo, the African Indigenous women Organization (AIWO) and others.

IMPACT-Kenya is coordinating organizations from East Africa under a platform for common interest called ARISE-C (Alliance for Rights, Inclusivity and Social Equity in Conservation) which is at a formative stage initiated by IMPACT under its Inclusive and Just conservation initiative conceptualized in 2021 to attend the APAC.

A consultative workshop with like-minded organizations (APAC preparatory meeting) is planned on 15th and 16th June 2022 in Nairobi, it will define its approach, principles, and mode of work including governance structures that seeks to ensure the indigenous peoples’ livelihoods and territories are recognized and respected, as well as their cultural, knowledge and heritage contribution in solving climate change risks, conservation and biodiversity restoration.

The Nairobi IPLCs pre-paratory meeting was a success with the participants coming up with a declaration to be presented at the pre-congress in Kigali,Rwanda ahead of the APAC.

IPLCs Kigali Pre-Congress

Another IPLCs workshop was organized by IMPACT together with the ICCA Consortium (Kigali pre-congress) on the16th and17th of July in Kigali, ahead of the IUCN Africa Protected Areas Congress in Kigali,Rwanda;

to shine a spotlight on how Indigenous Peoples and local communities are conserving a significant proportion of the world’s biodiversity and nature through their self-determined cultures, ways of life and governance systems; to discuss experiences, challenges, opportunities, and recommendations for appropriate recognition and support for the communities’ self-determined priorities for their collective lands, waters, and territories; to discuss strategies for advancing the movements for conservation justice and collective land, territorial, and tenure and resource rights in the context of nature conservation including the proposed 30×30 target; and to support Indigenous and community representatives to prepare for participation in the main IUCN Congress.

The larger group of IPLCs came up with one declaration (see attached below) to be presented at the main African Protected Areas Congress.

Partners

Collaborators

IMPACT—Indigenous Movement for Peace Advancement and Conflict Transformation

Together, we make an impact.

Stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples for land rights, sustainable livelihoods, and cultural preservation.

Community Land Summit 2023

Community Land Summit 2023

It is estimated that the ASALs support about 25% of the nation’s human population and slightly over 50% of the entire livestock population. Livestock accounts for 95 % of the family income and provides employment to 95% of the Kenyan population. However, pastoralists have continued being poor and food insecure mainly due to the effects of climate change which have resulted in low livestock productivity, women and children are the most vulnerable group, and the youth who migrate to far conflict zones in such of pasture and water for livestock. It is therefore prudent to explore alternative opportunities for pastoralist communities especially the vulnerable social groups to participate in income-generating activities, this will significantly ensure women and youth identify and recognize their untapped/ undiscovered potential in land management.

Indigenous knowledge is socio-economically viable and effective, and involves minimum risk to local communities, ideally what is required is upscaling, and value addition i.e., women groups, and youth groups are involved in nature-based solutions, which is an important asset for their livelihood as well as conserving the natural resources found in the community lands. In the pastoralist setup, structural inequalities and access to land and its natural resources persist, direct access to land through ownership cuts across the different ethnic pastoralist communities, a dynamic that deepened existing inequalities in the community. Differences in access among pastoralists have been linked to existing customary practices, gendered norms, and patriarchal traditions, which lead to the exclusion of some members in the process, especially women and youths. Realizing women’s rights to access, control, and manage natural resources remains a challenge mainly because some specific roles and relationships are regulated by socio-cultural norms which could take some time to be unlocked. The Constitution of Kenya and the Community Land Act No.27 of 2016 is an important window of opportunity in this respect since it has progressive provisions for the inclusion of women in land management issues, and it requires women to be included in the land committees and community registers, however, despite clear articulation in the law it continues to experience challenges of implementation in pastoralist landscape.

Land is a major resource for the pastoralists in providing pasture and water for the livestock, additionally, it is correct to say that indigenous peoples’ relation with their land and traditional means of subsistence is basic to and primordial to culture, social organization, and language. As far as human rights are concerned, the rights to self-determination, land, and customary land tenure and use are the most important rights for Indigenous Peoples and they should be enjoyed unconditionally by all. A common trait, the vast majority of lands that are being leased out in the thirty or so African states hosting large-scale land acquisitions do not derive from the titled private land sector but the community lands majorly owned by the indigenous peoples for mega projects, conservation, climate financing, etc. and this happens without meaningful involvement of the IPLCs.

Large land investments in the Kenyan context often have far-reaching social, economic, cultural, and political consequences since they may disrupt economic and social activities, interfere with cultural practices, reduce access to resources, displace large numbers of people, and expose the vulnerabilities of certain groups such as women. Access to community lands by investors is on the rise, several communities have existing contracts with investors others are negotiating for investments, this highlights the need for continuous legal education with the pastoralist communities; the Community Land Act of 2016 is specific as to the requirements of investments, including that each request is subject to consultation and agreement with the community, and with payment of compensation and royalties, should an agreement be reached and in addition, a community may establish requirements for the investor to conserve and rehabilitate lands. It is fundamentally important to note, most of these interventions are foreign or associated with elites within communities that routinely take disproportionate advantage of profit-seeking opportunities when externally-driven commercial opportunities arise, two-thirds of the community assembly reserves the absolute power to dispose any parcel of community land.

This influenced the decision to hold the Community Land Summit 2023 co-convened by IMPACT Kenya, the County Government of Samburu and PARAN Alliance; in collaboration with other partners under a theme that focuses on Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender equality and participation of women and youths in land ownership, natural resource management and enhancement of sustainable local economies.The 2023 Summit builds on the success of the two subsequent Community Land Summits in Kenya held in December 2021 and November 2022 in Nanyuki Town, Kenya. It will bring together indigenous peoples, pastoralist communities, hunter-gatherers, civil society organizations, county and national government, private sector, researchers and academia, and other development partners to deliberate and dialogue on current issues in indigenous peoples’ territories ranging from Land tenure rights – the status of registration of community lands in Kenya, role of women and youth in governance; Gender equality in land ownership, use and access to investments- women and youths investment opportunities in ASALs; Women and youth involvement in conservation, eco-tourism and livestock economy; Climate financing and community resilience [carbon trading] in respect to effective benefit sharing modalities; and Free Prior and Informed Consent [FPIC] in regard to investments in community lands.The conference is planned for November 14th to 17th 2023 in Maralal TVET School, Samburu County. Plenary discussions will be organized to deliberate on the above-mentioned topics with over 200 indigenous people’s community delegates actively participating in the dialogues.

For more info:

https://communitylandsummit.org

Together, we make an impact.

Stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples for land rights, sustainable livelihoods, and cultural preservation.

East Africa Indigenous Peoples’ Land Summit 2022

East Africa Indigenous People's Land Summit 2022

Last year IMPACT in collaboration with other development partners convened the first ever Community Land Summit which brought together the voices of communities from 24 counties with undissolved communal lands as identified by the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning.The CLS also brought together government actors and other stakeholders to discuss on the community land registration processes five years after the enactment of the CLA 2016.

This is where it was decided that the Community Land Summit will be a premiere global land event that brings together all stakeholders to advocate and champion for communities to amplify their voices,share experiences, and take practical actions that ensure the rights of communities and indigenous peoples are protected

The 2nd edition of the Community Land Summit was held last week this time cutting across Africa.The event dubbed “The East African Indigenous Peoples’ Land Summit 2022” was co-convened by IMPACT Kenya and PARAN Alliance in collaboration with other partners. The Summit was held under the theme: Amplifying Collective Voices of Indigenous Peoples through Inclusive Dialogues and Learning to Enhance Land Rights for Livelihoods and Conservation in East Africa. The Summit built on the success of the first Community Land Summit held in December 2021 in Nanyuki Town, Kenya.

This year’s the Summit brought together Indigenous Peoples; pastoralist and hunter-gatherer communities from Eastern Africa (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, DRC, Rwanda and Burundi) to share and learn from each other on current issues affecting them, directly engage policy makers from governments, regional and sub-regional governmental organizations including AU, RECs, CSOs, the private sector and other actors; and together forge the way forward towards addressing those challenges. Over 300 IP community delegates from East Africa, high level representatives from the Africa Union, Regional economic communities, National and County Governments, Development actors, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Private sector, researchers and the academia attended. The summit adopted inclusive and consultative dialogues, cultural exchanges, discussions, plenary and other innovative approaches that ensured effective engagement of all participants.

As a result of this Summit, a communique and report summarizing the discussions, propositions, and recommendations for action to enhance land rights for livelihoods and conservation in East Africa were developed.Click the link below to download the copies.

For more info:

https://communitylandsummit.org/

Together, we make an impact.

Stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples for land rights, sustainable livelihoods, and cultural preservation.

Community Land Summit 2021

Community Land Summit 2021

IMPACT Kenya, entered into a working relationship with the National Land Commission (NLC) for the purpose of monitoring land rights, development of the Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) guidelines and holding of the Community Land Summit on the Community Land Act of 2016.

The Community Land Summit was convened by IMPACT, NLC, PARAN Alliance Members, Natural Justice, Kenya Land Alliance, CLAN and other key actors in the implementation of the Community Land Act, 2016 ,it brought together the voices of communities from 24 counties with undissolved communal lands as identified by the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning. The CLS also brought together government actors and other stakeholders to discuss on the community land registration processes five years after the enactment of the CLA 2016.

The Community Land Summit will be a premiere global land event that brings together all stakeholders to advocate and champion for communities to amplify their voices, it seeks to bring together all stakeholders to share experiences, and take practical actions that ensure the rights of communities and indigenous people are protected.

This year’s Community Land Summit was held at the Sports Arms Hotel in Nanyuki, Laikipia County from the 22nd to 24th of November 2021 and below are the outcomes.

For more info:

https://communitylandsummit.org/

Together, we make an impact.

Stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples for land rights, sustainable livelihoods, and cultural preservation.

National Peace Summit 2022

National Peace Summit 2022

Responses to address the land and natural resource conflict have been changing in scope and depth over the years. The main actors in peace building include government, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs), political leaders, traditional leaders, artists, and individual men and women among others.

The government has initiated several reforms and established several institutions and platforms,this is in addition to mainstream security apparatus like the police and the army. These institutions are the National Steering Committee (NSC) on peace building and conflict management, District Peace Committees (DPC), National Crime Research Centre (NCRC), National Conflict Early Warning and Early Response System (NCEWERS), Kenya National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons (KNFP), and Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA). These institutions have been implementing their mandates with varying degrees of success. It is also paramount to note the ADR/AJS used in dispute resolution in the context of land and natural resource are used by community leaders. The months leading up to, and after, elections have been the most violent periods in Kenya’s post-independence history, with thousands killed and hundreds of thousands displaced in election cycles. , Conflict trends are likely to heightened especially now that the region is also experiencing serious drought and negative impacts of climate change on their livelihoods and natural environment causing limited access to water and pasture for livestock.

With this background, and realizing that conflicts are affecting and threatening the future of pastoralist communities from the six counties, IMPACT in consultation with the county governments convened the peace summit in Nanyuki, Kenya to provide an opportunity for communities and leaders to agree on strategies that contribute to reduction of conflicts in the target counties of Laikipia, Samburu, Isiolo, Baringo, Marsabit and Turkana.

Watch the full video of the Peace Summit:

Together, we make an impact.

Stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples for land rights, sustainable livelihoods, and cultural preservation.

The Camel Caravan 2023

In the wee hours of the 4th of August 2023, a group of community members, planning organizations, the media and allies started a 6-day walk from Gafarsa in Isiolo County to Archer’s post in Samburu county, a 155kilometers distance as we collectively advocated for the Restoration and Conservation of the Ewaso Ng’iro River.

Ewaso Ng’iro Basin is the second largest basin in kenya after tana, it cuts across ten counties and more than 10million people depend on it. It is inextricably intertwined with the culture and heritage of the communities and thus unifies and divides them in the basin in equal measure. These communities have managed to conserve and sustainably use the resources within the basin using Indigenous traditional knowledge over the years, but in this period of increasing human population, large-scale agricultural activities, infrastructure development, and climate change, the river dries up, gets polluted, and is contested.

Climate change has led to an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, natural resource scarcity, and environmental degradation. Water users, including communities, livestock and wildlife, the public sector, and corporate entities, both upstream, midstream, and downstream, often lack a shared understanding of the threats facing the river system and fail to effectively collaborate around integrated water resources management. This has led to conflicts and an escalation of the threats facing river systems.

Before our departure, we planted trees at Gafarsa Mixed Secondary School and flagged off the 11th edition of the most prestigious annual event “THE CAMEL CARAVAN” with blessings from elders of the Borana community of Isiolo County. On the first day, we walked 20 km to Mbarambate where we camped at the shores of the Ewaso Ng’iro River engaging community members in discussions and sensitizing them on the importance of the protection of their shared natural resources. We also addressed the challenges facing the Ewaso Ng’iro River causing the drastic water flow reduction and we together forged ways of restoring the ecosystem; the communities from all the corners camped cooked and ate together as a symbol of peace and unity. These activities were carried out at every stopping point during the walk.

On the 2nd day, we walked a distance of 34kms to Malkadaka where we set camp at Malkadaka primary school and engaged community members and later showed them a video of the previous Camel Caravans to show the decline of the river over the years.This will make communities understand the urgency of the protection ,restoration and conservation of the river that is their main source of water.

 

On the 3rd day we walked a distance of 23kms from Malkadaka to Gotu where we camped at Camp Simpirre – a culture and indigenous knowledge documentation and publishing center. Dr Hussein Isack the founder took us through the developed information knowledge banks from where current and future generations can retrieve their ancestral indigenous knowledge that will help them go back in their communities’ historical timeline and recreate their diminished languages and cultural practices documented and archived in print and electronic formats. We later held community engagements and watched documentaries.

 

On the 4th day we left Gotu for camp funan a distance of 5okms which we had to be carried by vehicles through Shaba Game Reserve to avoid any conflict with wildlife. We camped in the wild to enjoy the serenity and experienced the fulfillment in interaction with nature to remind us the importance of conserving our resources.

On the 5th day we walked 20kms to KWS Complex in Archers post where we had cultural music and dance from indigenous local communities’ musicians ahead of the World indigenous people’s day to be held the following day. The dances and music were to remind us of our diversity which should be a source of our pride and strength as indigenous people. Messages of peace and conservation were shared as a reminder of how we have always lived in harmony with nature and one another.

On 9th August 2023 which was the 6th day of the Camel Caravan walk, we marked the World Indigenous People’s Day. All communities who benefit from the Ewaso Ng’iro River gathered at Archers Post to discuss ways in which they can collectively work together to save the already dying river, which will also help in solving the ongoing conflicts over natural resources. The presence of government officials and or state agencies in the celebration provided an interactive session whereby they were challenged to be our eyes at top-level meetings and conferences and advocate for equal sharing of shared resources like the Ewaso Ng’iro River and also push for policies that help the indigenous communities.

Camel Caravan 2023

Camel Caravan 2023

11th Edition—Collective Conservation and Restoration of Ewaso Ng’iro North Ecosystem

The Ewaso Ng’iro Camel Caravan concept was first initiated in 2014 by the Partners for Resilience Program (PFR) led by IMPACT and MID-P. Members of Pastoralists Alliance for Resilience and Adaptation in Northern Kenya (PARAN) Alliance – Isiolo Peace Link (IPL), Waso Trust land Project (WTLP), Kivulini Trust and Isiolo Conservationist Trust (ICT) later joined the campaign/movement in 2018. These advocacy tool became a process of assessments, documenting community voices, conservation conversations and tree planting. The evolution from an advocacy tool to a hands-on affair, that was aimed at not just bringing awareness on the need to conserve the Ewaso basin but rather initiated a mode of doing it; based on hard evidence, research and analysis attests to the prestige of the initial idea under the tagline: Pamoja Tuhifadhi Ewaso Ng’iro

The Ewaso Ng’iro River unifies and divides communities in the basin in equal measure. However, in this period of increasing human population, large-scale agricultural activities, infrastructure development, and climate change, the river dries up, gets polluted, and is contested. Climate change has led to the increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, natural resources scarcity, and environmental degradation. Water users, including communities, livestock and wildlife, the public sector, and corporate entities, both upstream, midstream, and downstream, often lack a shared understanding of the threats facing the river system and fail to effectively collaborate around integrated water resources management. This has led to conflicts and an escalation of the threats facing river systems.

To help communities deal with this menace, this year we consolidated action points from previous Camel caravans and formulated a model that is both actionable and practicable in sustaining the entire basin and in effect protecting the livelihoods of the communities while promoting peace and cohesion. The upstream farmer communities who play a big role in the upper stream of the river were fully involved to address the challenges facing the river ,and see the impact of their activities upstream to the pastoralist communities in the mid and lower stream, this will also help promote a peaceful co-existence between and among the community’s residing in and bordering the Ewaso Ng’iro Basin.

Together, we make an impact.

Stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples for land rights, sustainable livelihoods, and cultural preservation.

World Water Day 2023: Inclusive conservation accelerating change in the Ewaso Ng’iro River Basin

Water is our most important resource and all life on Earth depends on it. Despite its importance, water is becoming far more scarce, as regional sources disappear or are depleted. At the moment, forty percent of the world’s people are being affected by water scarcity and, if not addressed, some 700 million could be displaced by 2030 in search of water.

As a subproject of the Inclusive Conservation Initiative (ICI), a Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded initiative co-implemented by Conservation International and IUCN, at IMPACT we recognize that to build resilience against climate change and to serve a growing population, an integrated and inclusive approach must be taken to managing this finite resource. This World Water Day, celebrated under the theme” Accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis”, we reflect on water scarcity here in Kenya and on the importance of the Ewaso Ng’iro River in tackling this issue and in supporting our livelihoods.

The Ewaso Ng’iro River …Photo credits: IMPACT

Water is a finite resource and should be used sustainably by the present for the future generation. We Indigenous pastoralists understand this and have been great stewards of water sources, the most important one being the Ewaso Ng’iro River, which supports our way of life.

The Ewaso Ng’iro River stretches from the North-Western slopes of Mount Kenya and the Aberdares ranges, through the Laikipia plateaus to the arid and semi-arid lands of Northern Kenya, covering about 10 counties, and flowing for about 445 miles (716 km) before emptying into the Lorian Swamp, rejuvenating River Juba and draining into the Indian Ocean.

The river basin supports more than 3.6 million people in our territory, 70% of which are Indigenous pastoralists, and is a source of revenue for our agro-pastoral and pastoral communities.

Tackling water scarcity in Kenya….Photo credits: IMPACT

For our communities, the river basin and its tower are a critical resource in addressing water scarcity issues and supporting the economic growth of the Northern drylands. They supply us with fresh water, conserve biodiversity and ecosystems, regulate local climate, and support our livelihoods.

The river also has sentimental value to us in Northern Kenya. In our Indigenous worldview, the river is intertwined with our culture and heritage. Historically, we have managed and protected the river using our Indigenous traditional knowledge through various cultural practices, communal sharing, and sustainable use of the resources within the basin.

We refer to water as ‘Enkare o lowuaru’ (wild animal water), to signify that water is found in the wild and belongs to all, including plants and wildlife, and thus we believe that nobody should own it and that instead everyone should share whatever is available for the benefit of all.

The river as a source of water to support livelihoods….Photo credits: IMPACT

The Ewaso Ng’iro River is used by farming communities upstream, agro-pastoralists midstream, and pastoralists downstream, and by wild animals and plants alike. It is of paramount importance for our pastoralist way of life, from providing domestic and livestock drinking to supporting our cultural practices, such as the Maa rites of passage. When we perform these rites, we draw water from the river, mix it with milk, and splash it onto those involved to drive away evil eyes, cleanse, or as a unifying factor for our community.

The Ewaso Ng’iro River ecosystem is also home to significant sacred sites and ceremonial plants that have important meanings for our pastoralist communities living along it. Among them is the Reteti (Ficus wakefieldii), a sacred plant which grows at the banks of the Ewaso Ng’iro river and its tributaries. Our Maa community makes sacrifices under this plant and we consider it to be so sacred that even the plants that surround it can’t be cut because in our culture harming a tree is believed to bring curse on oneself. Another sacred plant for us is the Loperia/lpeeri (Cyperus papyrus), which is used by women during their traditional convergence meeting and ritualprayers that we call olamal loo nkituak in Maa language (in Samburu it is known as Ntorosi). The plant is carried and attached to special gourds, and the women in our community use it to splash milk into the Ewaso Ng’iro River as they pray. Water is sacred and is used in several rituals and ceremonies for blessings.
Preserving the Ng’iro River and its water resources…Photo credits: IMPACT

Over the years, our communities have used Indigenous traditional and ecological knowledge, which includes traditional seasonal calendars, well-managed settlement plans, and grazing systems with distinct wet and dry season areas, to manage the Ewaso Ngiro Ecosystem as a shared resource.

During periods of acute droughts, our communities had to utilize tree leaves for fodder. Since in our Indigenous cultur we believe that trees are alive, we are not allowed to cut live trees, so our communities gathered the fodder by pruning and cutting the tree’s branches, and they ensured that a branch was left on every tree to breathe and continue living.

Thanks to these traditional practices, we have ensured the protection of the basin and managed to support the livelihood of our communities. The dying of the Ewaso Ng’iro river, however, is threatening the existence of the sacred tree species growing around the basin, the co-existence between communities and wildlife, and our livelihoods and cultural practices.

To tackle these challenges, we will be working through the Inclusive Conservation Initiative (ICI) to promote the revitalization of the basin’s ecosystem by encouraging our communities to fully embrace and bring back our traditional best practices and by strengthening the existing traditional systems and structures that govern them

By Silole Malih, Ramson Karmushu, and William Naimado (IMPACT Kenya)