Silvo-fishery Enterprises in Coastal Communities

Conserving coastal resources and eradicating poverty through community-based entrepreneurship
Waste Management
Mtwapa
Kenya

The initiative encourages community stewardship and conservation of coastal environmental resources by promoting nature-based enterprises that are economically beneficial. It does so by providing training in aquaculture, mariculture, mangrove cultivation, bee-keeping, and more, by organising beach clean-ups, and establishing “Community Forest Associations”. The initiative promotes environmental conservation by developing community-based, economically sustainable businesses. We work closely with community-based organisations to provide the right alternative livelihoods training for women, young people and artisanal fishermen. Trainings include aqua-silviculture – aquaculture, mariculture and mangrove cultivation – bee-keeping and neem production. By using adaptive management the initiative ensures that feedback from all partners is taken into account in its growth and development. At the same time it supports community development through active follow-up activities. 

Eco-Inclusive Impacts
The initiative promotes nature-based enterprises that are economically beneficial. Training in aquaculture, mariculture, mangrove cultivation, bee-keeping, and beach clean-ups help diversify household income and environmental conservation.
  • Diversifying household income for coastal communities by providing training and working together with research institutions, NGOs and community-based organisations.

 

  • Planting one million mangrove seedlings in four coastal communities, organising beach clean-ups and establishing “Community Forest Associations” for mangroves.
  • Conserving coastal environments and protecting local biodiversity.
  • Training 100 bee farmers and 200 community fishermen in mangrove cultivation.
  • Enabling community members to expand their income-generating activities using newly learned skills.

Partners

This initiative supports both community-based organizations and farmers and environmental protection by linking the creation of alternate sources of income with mangrove preservation. The foundation and management of sustainable operations such as aquaculture, beekeeping, and silvofisheries is taught to locals through Kwetu’s services. Focuses include environmental education and conservation, advocating for the rights of the artisanal community, and providing research opportunities to local and international institutions. By collaborating with various partners, Kwetu has been able to reach out to coastal Kenyan communities from Shimoni to Ngomeni, and has helped over fifteen community groups become reliant on the stable income of silvofishery and beekeeping production, thereby improving their quality of life as well as maximizing the positive utilization of the mangrove wetlands.

The Kwetu Training Centre for Sustainable Development (“Kwetu”) pioneered community mariculture ten years ago and leads the implementation of the initiative’s activities.

Upendo Shika Lako Women’s Group is a community-based organisation, a beneficiary of the initiative and project implementer

Act! Kenya, a national NGO which supports organisational capacity building, has partnered with Kwetu to introduce beekeeping activities in Msambweni District 

CORDIO East Africa conducts supporting research into community mariculture and artisanal fishing.

The African Insect Science for Food and Health (ICIPE) conducts supporting research into beekeeping and honey production.