Taita Taveta, Kenya, July 21, 2023 – TTWCA, in partnership with IFAW, held a community sensitisation meeting on the USAID-funded Sustainable Management of Amboseli and Tsavo Landscape Project in the scenic village of Zongwani, which is nestled within Teri B Community Ranch in Sagalla Ward, Taita Taveta County.
The main objective of the meeting was to engage the community members on the various interventions being implemented through the project.
Also discussed was the importance of community partnerships in empowering communities living adjacent to the TTWCA member conservancies and ranches for the long-term of sustainable conservation of the abundant natural resources in the area.
Lessons from Mgeno
In light of the recent gazettement of Mgeno Wildlife Conservancy, Peter Ndong’a, the manager of the conservancy, graced the event to share with fellow TTWCA members present on the strategies that need to be in place to ensure that both shareholders and community members benefit from a conservancy’s initiatives.
Ndong’a highlighted the significance of job opportunities created by the conservancy, along with the incorporation of nature-based enterprises, such as improved pasture production. These measures play a crucial role in curbing overreliance on illegal activities like poaching and charcoal burning by providing alternative sources of income while contributing to climate change adaptation.
“We highly commend TTWCA together with her partners for prioritising community engagement and sensitisation in their conservation agenda.”
J. Keke
Teri B Community Land Management Committee
These open dialogue forums not only help the community to better understand TTWCA’s projects but also enables the association to understand the community’s priority projects and envision ways to mobilise resources for their implementation. Some of the much-needed projects in the area as listed by the community members include:
- Construction of water pans to improve water access in the area
- Introduction of the gala goats, as they are better aligned with the area’s climatic conditions
The dialogue at Zongwani Village was the fifth of a series of community sensitisation meetings organised by TTWCA in 2023 under the Sustainable Management of Amboseli and Tsavo Landscape Project.