TECHNOLOGY USE IN MANGROVE REGENERATION AND CONSERVATION; case study of Coastal Livelihoods and Environment Management project in Kwale County of Kenya.  

Introduction

Use of technology in development has taken root being referred as ICT4D, however, in conservation it has not been widely applied. Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Management project under Kwale PU has deployed use of technology in mangrove conservation through community led participatory GIS mapping of degraded sites

Participatory community GIS mapping of degraded areas

The project-initiated mangrove delimitation exercise in partnership with Pwani University. The exercise ensured that all degraded sites within six project communities were mapped out and that mangrove regeneration exercise took directional and verifiable approach. To ensure community participation and ownership, 90 community members were trained in GIS mapping while 18 community members participated in the actual GIS delimitation of the degraded areas.

The output od the delimitation exercise was mapping of 1239 acres of mangrove degraded sites and 272,550 mangrove seedlings established within the existing nurseries. The mapping has created community applause and commitment to mangrove regeneration with information on available sites for regeneration and appropriate mangrove species. Within six months of the GIS mapping exercise, the communities have been in a position to plant 51,216 mangroves under direct project intervention.

Climate change adaptation and mitigation

Through mangrove regeneration, the community are able to become more resilient to climate change. Mangroves are heavy carbon sequesters and their planting provides carbon sinks hence creating “cooling” effects to the lower atmosphere. Through commercial mangrove conservation, the communities adapt to climate change by having addition income stream to their declining ecological livelihood streams.

Protecting girls and young women in crisis and climate related disasters

Climate change continues to pose threat to girls and young women whose vulnerability to climate change related disasters is optimal at household level. With increase in mangrove degradation, there is decline in food supplies, water availability and energy sources, this phenomenon exposes girls and youth women to the burden of additional labor to fed for their families through exploitative and unpaid or underpaid wage labor. The project has provided level playing grounds where young women are participating actively in mangrove conservation thus creating enhanced agencies for the girls and young women

Conclusion

Through use of technology to map degraded area, the project has created new frontier in conservation. The communities are in position to understand magnitude of degradation, the levels of conservation and efforts needed to carry out the whole mangrove regeneration exercise. Coupled with registration of Community Forest Association and development of Participatory Forest Management Plan, the community has conveniently taken leading role in management of their mangrove forests.