Successful CBA/LLA Practice in Kilifi Town
In my community the Community based adaptation and locally led adaptation focuses on Mangrove restoration and Conservation along Kilifi creek located in coastal region of Kenya which is led by Community based environmental conservation groups which are non governmental organisations and youth-led initiatives.
The initiatives are vital in addressing climate change hazards such as storm surges, coastal erosion,a drastic decline in fish stocks and loss biodiversity in coastal ecosystems within kilifi creeks.
In beginning of this initiatives the community members acted as active planners as they were engagement were directly influential to the overall success of the project, through participatory Community risk assessment, the community members identified which creeks it the coastal areas of the town were most vulnerable to climate change hazards. They formed Community Forest Associations to manage nurseries and the decision on which type of the trees such as Mangroves species was driven by local knowledge on which trees survived best at a particular creek of the town.
Urbanisation is one of threats to the long practiced traditional norms and beliefs such the sacred nature of Kaya forest by the community and spiritual purity of the sea and Mangroves which are lately fading.
Locally led Adaptation initiative are crucial in reviving this practices by devolving power back to the Community Forest Associations instead of the government agencies taking decisions on behalf of the community. The Locally Led Adaptations provide funding and technical support to local community to revive their traditional stewardship.
A good example is the Restore Africa Program that integrate both the community led planting and traditional forest management with blue carbon credits to provide sustainable long-term adaptation model to climate change hazards in the community.