|
|
Welcome to the first issue of the PRESA E-newsletter
PRESA
– Pro-poor Rewards for Environmental Services in Africa – is a
programme working to foster the development, implementation and assessment
of environmental service agreements in the highlands of East and West Africa.
Rewards
to rural communities for good environmental stewardship can protect
critical environmental services, while at the same time offering new
sources of income to support rural livelihoods. PRESA is an ongoing
research effort aimed at catalyzing policy support and private-sector
participation in environmental service agreements in Kenya, Tanzania,
Uganda and Guinea for
the benefit of the poor.
We
hope to share relevant information with our partners as a means of building
a community of practice of people interested in the science and practice of
environmental service agreements and related forms of payment and reward
for environmental services in Africa.
We
value your feedback and welcome all comments and queries about the PRESA
Programme. For other kind of information that you would like us to give you
please contact us.
If
you wish to unsubscribe, please send us an email with
‘Unsubscribe’ in the subject line.
Yours
sincerely,
Vanessa
and Godfrey,
PRESA
Communications
|
|
|
Added benefits of carbon farming in Western Uganda
|
|
Thanks to payments from smallholder carbon farming and the
sale of traditional crafts made from wetland resources, communities in
south-western Uganda
can access loans and training, resulting in improved living standards and
greater confidence to participate in civic affairs.
|
A settlement in the highlands of Western
Uganda. PHOTO/V. Meadu
|
The Albertine Rift provides an excellent case study of how
economic incentives can motivate local communities into appreciating and
hence protecting endangered forests. This model is providing useful lessons
in protecting watersheds that contribute to the mighty river systems, such
as the Nile.
PRESA is concerned with the impacts of rewards for
environmental services on the poor. Research work under the PRESA project
will support design of suitable payment mechanisms that take into account
the interests, needs and cultural values of local inhabitants.
Read
more >>
|
|
|
|
Land tenure and rewards for environmental services
African governments and environmentalists believe that
agricultural activities are incompatible with forest and watershed
conservation. On the other hand, governments are under pressure to provide
land for settlement and timber harvesting to benefit the poor.
By finding ways for smallholders to become part of the
conservation solution, rather than be perceived as the problem, PRESA is
working to ensure that smallholder farmers and residents living in the
highlands of East and West Africa can earn
sustainable livelihoods and maintain ecosystem services for themselves and
other beneficiaries.
Click
for more >>
|
|
PRESA coordination Office Updates
In 2008, the PRESA core coordination team and partners made
progress on site-level implementation of project activities, capacity and
partnerships building as well as fund raising.
Currently we are in the process of preparing our 2009 annual
workplan and budget and we look forward to
working again with the extended PRESA team and our donors: the
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the European Union
and the Government of Finland.
Read
more >>
|
|
|
|
