MAEP’s journey with ABN
ABN’s Partners are actively involved on the ground in rooting for ABN’s thematic areas in regards to CSK, CEG and YCB practices. KARANGATHI NJOROGE reports.
Maendeleo Endelevu Action Program (MEAP) is an African Biodiversity Network (ABN) Partner based in Kenya and which subscribes to the ABN philosophy and principles. MEAP has in the past benefitted from various training, exposure and capacity building initiatives by ABN. MEAP applies ABN methodologies in its work that relates to three ABN thematic areas that include Community Ecological Governance (CEG) through promotion and engagement in Participatory Forest Management (PFM). PFM focuses on ensuring communities living adjacent to government gazetted forests are involved in joint forest management or co-managements of forests. The process creates opportunity for communities to exercise their Community Ecological Governance, revive their Ecological Knowledge Systems and apply the same during implementation of the Participatory Forest Management Plans (PFMP).
MEAP also engages youth in agricultural activities and nature experiential learning in forest setting and in this context it applies methodologies under the Youth Culture and Biodiversity (YCB) thematic area. The activity facilitates inter-generational knowledge transfer as regards ecological governance and ecological agriculture by enhancing associated skills and practices
among the youth.
MEAP has a wealth of experience in ecological agriculture including organic farming, sustainable agriculture among other ecological friendly farming practices. In terms of practice, MEAP engages in Sustainable Agriculture Land Management (SALM). SALM promotes better tillage and residue management, restoration and rehabilitation of degraded lands, integrated livestock management, sustainable energy, integrated pest management, nutrient management, soil and water conservation, agronomic practices, and agro-forestry among others. Also central to SALM is promotion of crop diversity that borrows from Community Seed and Knowledge (CSK) methodologies where seed is central in ensuring sustainable crop production. CSK, therefore is one of the key ABN thematic areas that MEAP engages in.
MEAP also engages in Lobbying, Advocacy and Networking (LAN): this effort is aimed at responding to infringing forces working against development initiatives by communities among them policies, legislations and trends. ABN builds MEAP capacity and provides a platform where different actors engage together to voice concerns.
