David Mirera

Enhancing Mangrove Wetland Conservation through Silvofisheries Opportunities in Two Coastal Communities of Kenya

Just how big culture mud crabs can be (Mirera).

Drive-in cage construction techniques (Mirera).

Mangrove nursery at Mida (Mirera).

Town/RegionCountryCategoriesDate
Makongeni
Dabaso
Majaoni
KenyaAfrica, Mangrove3 Apr 2007

The indiscriminate cutting of mangrove trees in the Kenyan coast is most possibly caused by extreme poverty in the people who depend on their subsistence for such activity. Silvofisheries is a technology that involves the culture of organisms within the mangrove forests: It is identified as a culture system that promotes sustainability capitalizing from the sustainable use of the mangrove ecosystem. It is a good introduction of integrating environmental management by bringing in income opportunities to the coastal communities using environmentally non-degrading, technically appropriate, economically viable and socially acceptable technology.

The project aims to promote mangrove conservation and income generation to the local communities emphasizing to them their role as capable managers, stewards and stakeholders in the mangrove ecosystem through participatory approach. Leading and educating the communities and increasing their knowledge on the importance of mangroves while bringing to them livelihood opportunities will help in environmental conservation and improving their quality of life. This project aims at improving the potential for community-based low intensity mud crab culture, accessible to artisanal fisher communities.

For more information contact dimirera@yahoo.com

Project Update: October 2007

The project that was envisioned to provide the community groups with techniques of how to improve their livelihoods through silvofisheries activities while empowering them to conserve the mangrove wetlands has to date made some progress in the two community sites which include:

§ A total of 40 community members and 5 forests and fisheries officers have been trained on mud crab culture using drive-in cages

§ Each of the communities has 100 drive-in cages with a capacity to hold 100 crabs at ago. The crab training initiatives are going on and only hindered by lack of seed and mortalities which are being addressed to ensure profitability.

§ A total of 2000 mangrove seedlings have been planted by the two community groups in the last 8 months and nursery developments to hold 250 seedlings each have been developed per site.

§ In one of the sites (majaoni), down ponds are being tried for mud crab culture to test their productivity compared to drive-in cages.

§ Arrangements are in place to have bamboos planted by each member which wallboards are planned for construction as from 10th November 2007.

The two community groups have been motivated and joined the coast silvofisheries forum that was formed under the Umbrella of Kwetu Training Centre under funding from WWF at the start of this year. The forum will be working hand in hand with the local community based organizations in fighting for better prices for their silvofisheries products.

Final Report

Read more about the activities undertaken and findings of this project in the final report below.

File DownloadSize
Detailed Final Report438.5 KB
2nd RSG Awarded

Read about David's development of this project with a second RSG at http://www.ruffordsmallgrants.org/rsg/projects/david_mirera_0


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