A section of participants at the World Congress on Agroforestry held in Nairobi in August 2009. PHOTO/ICRAF.

Participants to a forum on payments for environmental services have proposed looking at other ecosystem services beyond carbon markets in order to encourage small scale farmers to engage in sustainable land practices.

Various approaches and tools were presented at the technical session to show how a variety of ecosystem services can be bundled, for example REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) combined with forest carbon markets.

Eco-labeling environmentally friendly products was presented as another viable option.

The session titled, “Rewards for the environmental services of Agroforestry” was held during the just concluded World Congress of Agroforestry in Nairobi, Kenya. Over 1,200 people attending the Congress participated in rigorous scientific discussions on up-scaling agroforestry to meet development challenges.

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The Sasumua Stakeholders' Workshop on 26th February 2009. PHOTO/M. Makela

Representatives of local communities, water users and relevant government departments have endorsed the results of PRESA’s research at the Sasumua catchment area.

When asked to respond to specific issues of the research, most participants said the findings, related to water pollution, land tenure, and land use, were an accurate reflection of the situation in the catchment.

PRESA researchers presented the research findings at a stakeholder workshop held at the Njabini Agricultural Training Centre on 26^th February, 2009. Stakeholders engaged in candid and open discussion while raising continuous issues, listening to different perspectives, and showing willingness to work with other stakeholders for mutual benefit.

There were expressions of appreciation of the value of the research studies, especially from the Water Resource Management Authorities, Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company and the farmers’ forum.
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PRESA and its partners at the Sasumua site will discuss the results of a scientific study that explores the negative impacts of water pollution and sedimentation, and land degradation, on Nairobi’s second largest source of fresh water.

John Mwangi (left) from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology with Thomas Yatich of ICRAF (right) during water sampling at Sasumua, October 17, 2008.

A stakeholder workshop on February 26^th, will give farmer associations and private land owners the results of hydrology studies conducted in 2008. Government officials will also be invited to the workshop at the Njabini Farmers Training Centre, located a short distance from the Sasumua reservoir.

PRESA scientist, Thomas Yatich, says that the workshop intends to synthesize key messages for environmental education raised from each of the study components.

“We will also obtain a review of our work by the different stakeholders invited to attend the workshop,” adds Yatich.
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It’s been a busy two months for PRESA and its partners at the Sasumua site as water and soil sampling activities get underway.

This month a team from ICRAF and the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology was at the Sasumua Dam catchment collecting water samples for evidence of chemical and biological contamination.

Jomo Kenyatta University scientists collecting water samples at Sasumua.

Located about 100 kilometres north of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, the lower reaches of the Aberdare Mountain forest provide fresh water to the city. Most of this water is collected from the forest and surrounding farmlands, and held in a series of dams, including the Sasumua, Ruiru and Ndakaini.

October’s water testing activity closely followed a soil sampling exercise in September. A team consisting of ICRAF researcher Tor Gunnar-Vagen and PRESA geo-spatial analyst, Miika Makela was familiarizing with a new soil sampling protocol. The new protocol is expected to become an Africa-wide standard for collecting soil and land use data.

The soil sampling was done by members of the local community in Njabini. Participants performed quite well after they were taught what to do in just a matter of hours. “This is the best way of sensitizing people to our efforts, getting them really hands-on involved in the research,” says Miika. (more…)