Planning for Resilience in East Africa Through Policy, Adaptation, Research, and Economic Development (Prepared)

PLANNING FOR RESILIENCE IN EAST AFRICA THROUGH POLICY, ADAPTATION, RESEARCH, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (PREPARED)

BALANCING DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION IN KENYA’S LARGEST FRESHWATER PAPYRUS WETLAND IN YALA SWAMP FINAL TECHNICAL REPORT AND LESSONS LEARNED

August 2016 September 2015 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Tetra Tech ARD International Development. It was prepared by Tetra Tech ARD This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development by Tetra Tech ARD through USAID/East Africa Contract AID-623-C-13- 00003.

The report was prepared by Serah Munguti and submitted to Tetra Tech ARD as the final deliverable for the project: Balancing development and conservation in Kenya’s largest freshwater papyrus wetland in Yala Swamp.

Tetra Tech ARD Contacts:

John Parker Thomas McCann Senior Technical Advisor/Manager Project Manager Tetra Tech ARD Tetra Tech ARD Burlington, VT Burlington, Vermont Tel.: 802-658-3890 Tel.: 802-658-3890 [email protected] [email protected]

PLANNING FOR RESILIENCE IN EAST AFRICA THROUGH POLICY, ADAPTATION, RESEARCH, AND ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT (PREPARED)

BALANCING DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION IN KENYA’S LARGEST FRESHWATER PAPYRUS WETLAND IN YALA SWAMP

FINAL TECHNICAL REPORT AND LESSONS LEARNED

February 2017

DISCLAIMER The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government

Table of Contents 1 Executive summary ...... 1 2 Key achievements ...... 4 1. Inception and Work planning workshop ...... 4 2. Formulation of a Land Use Plan for the Yala Swamp informed by a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)...... 4 2.1 The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ...... 4 2.2 Formulation of the Yala Swamp Land Use Plan ...... 6 3. Ecosystem Service Assessment report finalized ...... 9 4. Selection of community conserved areas (CCAs) and restoration of wildlife habitat ...... 10 i. Biodiversity ...... 10 ii. Intactness of the habitat ...... 10 iii. Hydrology of the Yala Swamp ...... 10 5. A Framework for the development a Payment of Ecosystem Services (PES) scheme was developed ...... 12 6. Five fishponds were established ...... 12 i. Location ...... 13 ii. Design ...... 13 iii. Construction ...... 13 iv. Monitor ...... 13 v. Stock ...... 13 860 kilograms of fish have been harvested from the 5 ponds out of which beneficiary households consumed 90 kilos and sold the rest for a total of Ksh. 173,000...... 15 7. Training to support community livelihoods ...... 15 Training in wildlife guiding and tourism administration and management:...... 15 Training in the creation and marketing of high-value papyrus products: ...... 16 Training on entrepreneurship for businesses: ...... 19 a) Lessons learned video documentary produced ...... 20 3 Successes ...... 20 Improved Participatory Decision Making...... 20 To engage in decision making processes ...... 20 Improvement of community livelihoods ...... 21 Capacity of technical capacity of national and county government built in land use planning and strategic environmental assessment ...... 21 Contribution to knowledge ...... 21 4 Lessons learned and best practices ...... 21

Balancing development and conservation in Kenya’s largest freshwater papyrus wetland in Yala Swamp

List of Figures and tables

Figure 1 :Location of Yala Swamp ...... 3 Table 1: ISSUES FOR SEA ANALYSIS ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Table 2: Number of fishponds established ...... 15

Balancing development and conservation in Kenya’s largest freshwater papyrus wetland in Yala Swamp

List of Acronyms

BMU Beach Management Unit CBOs Community Based Organizations CCAs Community Conservation Areas CODIT Community and Organization Development Institute GIS Geographic Information System HoPE-LVB Health of People and the Environment in the Lake Victoria Basin ICLUPSC Inter-County Land Use Plan Steering Committee IMTC Inter-ministerial Technical Committee KASTEP Kanyango Fish Farmers and Kadenge Solidarity towards Equal Participation KEMFRI Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute KIPPRA Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis LUP Land Use Plan NEMA National Environment Management Authority PES Payment for Ecosystem Services PREPARED- Planning For Resilience In East Africa Through Policy, Adaptation, Research, And SEA Strategic Environment Assessment SSGs Site Support Groups TESSA Toolkit for Ecosystem Service Site-based Assessment Economic Development USAID United States Agency for International Development WRMA Water Resources Management Authority WRUA Water Resources Users Association YPAC Yala Planning Advisory Committee

Balancing development and conservation in Kenya’s largest freshwater papyrus wetland in Yala Swamp

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The inception workshop for the project Balancing development and conservation in Kenya’s largest freshwater papyrus wetland in Yala Swamp was held at the Siaya Agricultural Training Center on Thursday 12th March 2015. Fifty nine (59) people attended the workshop comprising seventeen women and 42 men. Representation included technical officers from the county government, national government, elected officials, user groups within the swamp and community based organizations among others. The meeting was moderated by Mr. David Ruto from the Water Resources Management Authority (WRMA) Siaya County. Local and national media attended the workshop with The Star newspaper featuring a small article on the launch.

The grant was implemented within the period 9th March 2015 – 02nd August 2016 in Yala Swamp which is located in Siaya and Busia Counties. Its main objectives were to first develop an integrated land use plan for the Yala Swamp, guided by a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). These twin processes were first piloted in the Tana River Delta and through the PREPARED project were replicated in the Yala Swamp. The second objective was to develop an evidence-based ‘business case’ for the sustainable management of the Yala swamp. This was based on a pre-existing ecosystem services assessment. The business case is described in the ecosystem services assessment which explored three scenarios: continued development (business as usual), and balanced development. After indepth assessments, the ecosystem services assessment recommends that Yala Swamp land use and management policies and plans adopt a balance between development and conservation, so as to improve the socio-economic well-being of the local residents while protecting the diverse biodiversity, and ecosystem services that the site provides. |The Yala Swamp strategic environmental assessment draws from the recommendations of the ecosystem services assessment to conduct indepth assessments on optimal use of the land within the swamp. . Third Nature Kenya aimed to restore and protect wildlife habitat in community conserved areas identified around the swamp and; the River Yala Riparian zone. A total of 8,404 ha were identified as community conserved areas within which lie 443.8ha of degraded areas. Through the Yala Swamp Ecosystem Site Support Group 300ha were planted with papyrus in the degraded areas. Key considerations for development of criteria for selection of CCAs are: presence of key biodiversity; threats to biodiversity; intactness of the habitat; vulnerability to conversion through agricultural expansion; representativeness in terms of habitat, biodiversity, ecological function and ecosystem services; connectivity among the CCAs; suitability for community engagement; and potential for ecotourism. Fourt, the project was to develop a concept note and framework for payment for ecosystem services (PES) for the Yala Swamp. The fifth objective was to improve the livelihoods of local people chiefly through fish farming and promotion of value addition and marketing of papyrus products. To improve livelihoods five fishponds were established, stocked with fingerlings and beneficiary community groups supported with feeds and extension services from the State Department of Fisheries. A total of 860kgs of fish were harvested from the 5 ponds. Out of this, 90kg of fish was consumed by beneficiary households and a total of 770kgs sold for a total of Ksh. 173,000. The sixth objective was to develop training plans and materials and train communities on creation of high value papyrus products, entrepreneurship for business, wildlife guiding and tourism administration and management. 47 community members were trained in creation and marketing of high value papyrus products. Papyrus product weavers were trained in three phases/levels 1, 2, and 3 with the first level being the most basic and level 3 the most advanced. As a result of the trainings communities have so far produced and sold papyrus products worth more than Ksh. 76,000. Six of the trained community tour guides earned a combined income of Ksh. 86,090 from guiding tourists visiting the Yala Swamp. Lastly the project produced a video documentary on lessons learned to inform wetland management throughout Kenya.

The project was delivered in partnership with government at national and county levels, civil society, private sector and local communities. Key partners included: the Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA), the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Regional Development Authorities, Ministry of Water and Irrigation, the National Land Commission, the County Governments of Siaya and Busia, and the National Museums of Kenya among others. Local level partners included People Living with Disabilities, members of the Yala Ecosystem Site Support Group, members of the community representing different resource user groups geographically spread around Yala swamp (i.e. fishermen, farmers, papyrus harvesters, youth, women, two Water Resources Users Association-WRUAs), National Government Administration Officers (Chiefs), county level government agencies (Kenya Forest Service, Department of Agriculture-Crop production, Department of Livestock, Veterinary Department, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Health-Public Health, Ministry of Lands, Non-governmental organizations, Private Sector including Dominion Farms Limited and the media.

The project was strategically niched to the PREPARED statement of work and relates directly to PREPARED component 2 on Biodiversity Conservation: “Resilient and sustainable management of biologically significant trans boundary fresh water ecosystems in the East African Community region strengthened”. The project contributed to : Indicator 2.1: Number of hectares of biological significance under improved natural resource management (1000 ha set up as Community Conservation Area (CCA), 100 ha of degraded papyrus restored, 1000 ha of riparian under improved management (bamboo and native trees); Indicator 2.2: Number of laws, policies, strategies, plans, agreements, or regulations addressing biodiversity conservation officially proposed, adopted, or implemented ( Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) is in draft; Land Use Plan (LUP) was drafted; description of ecosystem services business case; and Indicator 2.3: Number of person hours of training in biodiversity conservation (fish farming, 17 participants (11 males and 6 females); tree nursery establishment, 43 participants (15 females, 28 males); ecotourism, 30 participants (6 females, 24 males); business enterprise development, 45 participants (15 females, 30 males).

Balancing development and conservation in Kenya’s largest freshwater papyrus wetland in Yala 2 Swamp

Figure 1 :Location of Yala Swamp

Improved mitigation of crop-related human-wildlife conflict in the cross-boundary amboseli-kilimanjaro ecosystem of Kenya and Tanzania – Deliverable F: Final Technical Report 3

2 KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

The PREPARED project was designed to address the challenges in Yala Swamp. The main achievements of the project were as follows:

1. INCEPTION AND WORK PLANNING WORKSHOP The project inception workshop was held at the Siaya Agricultural Training Center on 12th March 2015. Fifty nine (59) people attended the inception workshop comprising seventeen women and forty two men. Representation included technical officers from the county government, national government, elected officials, user groups within the swamp and community based organizations among others. Local and national media attended the workshop and a small article featured in The Star newspaper. During the workshop Nature Kenya provided an overview of the Project: including purpose; activities; objectives; partners and timeframe. The output of the workshop was a workplan developed through a participatory process that included all major stakeholders.

Participants at the project inception workshop at the Siaya Agricultural Training Center – Photo credit Emily Mateche

2. Formulation of a Land Use Plan for the Yala Swamp informed by a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) 2.1 The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) comprise of a suit of analytical tools used to generate information for strategic- decision making. The SEA was commissioned to inform the preparation of a Land Use Plan

(LUP) for Yala Swamp. Considering that LUP has the potential to affect the environmental, social and economic activities of the Swamp, SEA was carried out to ensure that negative LUP effects are minimized to ensure future sustainability of the Swamp.

The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) scoping report is the first step in formulating a SEA. The Yala Swamp SEA Scoping Report identified technical, environmental, economic and social considerations to be examined in detail by the SEA. The Scoping report also carried out a situation analysis for the Yala Swamp, examined the policy context, set objectives for the SEA and identified issues for SEA analysis as presented in the table below

Table 1: ISSUES FOR SEA ANALYSIS

Issues Manifestation

Destruction of • Growing pressure on papyrus due to land use important biodiversity change demand for its products areas

Land use changes in the • Influx of large scale investors threaten the Swamp sustainability of the Swamp

Weak governance • Under devolved system, the governance of the system Swamp is not clear. This is complicated by absence of a Community Land Act as envisaged in the Constitution

Benefit and costs • There is no system on place for sharing benefits and sharing mechanism costs of ecosystem change among stakeholders in the Swamp

Conflicts • Both Human-wildlife and human-human conflicts are experienced in the Swamp

Declining water • Below Dominion Farm, reduced water is due to resources diversion of main river course

• Water quality is affected by population and siltation

• Up streaming damming would affect water flow

Climate change • Changes in precipitation influence flood regime

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which in turn affects livelihoods and biodiversity

Yala SEA was based on the Environmental Management and Co-ordination (Amendment) Act 2015 which provides for all policies, plans and programmes for implementation to be subjected to the SEA.

The growing demand for land in the Yala Swamp has resulted in the conversion of part of the swamp area in Siaya and Busia Counties to other land use activities. The main causes of this conversion are demand for agricultural land, land for human settlement, and cutting of trees for fuel wood and construction. Pressure on the swamp intensified in the past few years from international corporations in search of arable land. The growing interest for Yala resources particularly land from large scale investors threaten the sustainability of this important resource. Plans to construct a sugar factory within the swamp were also reported to be at an advanced stage. The implications of these developments on the swamp are not fully known. Often decisions on land allocations are taken without good knowledge of the capacity of the swamp to accommodate new investors and on the potential impacts on the environment and society. Weak frameworks and stakeholder participation like the local communities has created suspicion and tension among various interest groups. Other challenges include the impacts of the proposed dams upstream, declining water levels, soil erosion and silting of the dams and water pans, as well as low agricultural productivity.

Clearly, the growing pressure of the Yala Swamp threaten its integrity and the SEA holds that the Land Use Plan should address the needs of the communities- their settlements and livelihoods; equity and fairness in land resource allocation ( for both investors and communities), space for biodiversity, and consider the implication of water use in land use activities.

The analyses carried out in the SEA confirm the need for pursuing a balanced development strategy for the Yala Swamp. This strategy will ensure that all existing legal land uses are accommodated while giving room for the development of new land uses. Under this the preferred land use strategy, part of the core swamp comprising Lake Kanyaboli, Sare and Namboyo and deep channels should be dedicated to conservation. County governments should encourage land use activities that incorporate value addition to boost livelihoods and poverty reduction among swamp residents. Tourism sector and marketing the climate regulation potential of the swamp are other areas with potential of increasing the economic value of the Swamp.

To address the menace of perennial flooding, and the need to reduce pressure on the swamp ecosystem, the SEA recommends establishment of a buffer. Human settlements currently within the swamp should relocate to the buffer area. Improving infrastructure and urbanization would attract agro-based industries on the buffer. Through land use planning, activities that can reduce pressure on the swamp including proper sanitation, agro-forestry, and rehabilitation of riverine areas and use of appropriate farming technologies can be implemented. 2.2 Formulation of the Yala Swamp Land Use Plan

To provide a clear framework for decision making that balances the conservation and development needs the project formulated a land use plan (LUP) for the Yala Swamp. The Yala Swamp LUP is a negotiated document which provides a framework on how land within the swamp and the surrounding areas will be used. The planning process was led by a technical team from the Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee for

Balancing development and conservation in Kenya’s largest freshwater papyrus wetland in Yala 6 Swamp

the Sustainable management of Kenya Deltas. The technical team comprised a physical planner, hydrologist, GIS specialist, policy specialists and representative of Nature Kenya

Two committees were formed at the county and community levels to support the technical team. Since the Yala Swamp falls in both Siaya and Busia counties an inter-county land use planning steering committee was formed. The committee is made up of 36 members drawn in equal numbers from Siaya and Busia counties. Its membership is made up of county executives from relevant dockets, and national government organizations – NEMA, Kenya Forest Service, National Land Commission, members of county assembly, chief officers, Kenya Wildlife Service, county secretaries among others.

The Yala Planning Advisory Committee (YPAC) was formed by 47 community representatives from the Swamp in Busia and Siaya Counties. Members of the Siaya and Busia County Assemblies who come from within the Yala Swamp Planning Area are represented in the YPAC as ex-official members. In addition government officers working at the lowest level among the community e.g. agricultural and livestock extension officers are also represented in the YPAC to provide technical support. Technical drafts of the Yala Swamp land use plan and strategic environmental assessments were finalized. During the formulation of these documents at least five meetings were held with the YPAC and the inter-county land use planning steering committees. Meetings were also held with the Governor, Siaya Government. The drafts are now awaiting validation by the county level and community level committees. Due to the extensive consultative process the documents are accepted and owned by the county governments of Siaya and Busia who legally have the mandate to produce land use plans within their area of jurisdiction.

The Yala Swamp Land use plan was formulated based on a vision of a swamp that “is supporting sustainable livelihoods of the residents of Siaya and Busia counties while its ecological integrity and that of its associated ecosystems is protected.”

A planning framework was formulated to guide the formulation of a land use plan for the Yala Swamp. The framework provided the road map for the formulation of the Yala Swamp land use plan. The planning framework recommends a governance structure and highlights the legal and policy instruments that can inform the land use planning process.

The land use plan development process was led by Lands Departments in both Siaya and Busia counties supported by an Inter-County Land Use Plan Steering Committee (ICLUPSC). The Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee (IMTC) worked with ICLUPSC and the YPAC to help in the drafting and review of the land use plan. Nature Kenya and its donors (PREPARED Program of U.S. Agency for International Development’s East Africa Regional Mission (USAID/East Africa); Darwin Initiative; and MacArthur Foundation) facilitated the process. A series of joint stakeholder consultative meetings were held in both Siaya and Busia counties ensure effective stakeholder participation.

Improved mitigation of crop-related human-wildlife conflict in the cross-boundary amboseli-kilimanjaro ecosystem of Kenya and Tanzania – Deliverable F: Final Technical Report 7

John Nyangena, SEA expert makes a presentation to the inter-county land use steering committee at a meeting in Busia. Photo credit Emily Mateche

2.1.1 Selection of the preferred development strategy for Yala Swamp Land Use Plan The plan was formulated through scenario building based on strategic environmental Assessment. To develop the land use plan, three scenarios namely Business as usual where development proceeds following current projections or no intervention, Conservation path-way where all developments stop and degraded areas are restored; and a Balanced pathway that allows for sustainable development balancing the need for social and economic development with protection and conservation of environment were analysed. The selection of the preferred development pathway was based on demand for land and water; implication for employment opportunities and the impact of the development strategy on the local and national economy and on the environment.

The chosen land use strategy is a balanced development pathway which accommodates diverse stakeholders leading to reduced conflicts. This is mainly due to loss of employment opportunities in agricultural sector – the biggest employer in the area. The preferred land use strategy encourages investments in value addition of agricultural, fisheries and papyrus products and through agricultural and livestock production intensification, investments in conservation related enterprises including ecotourism and encouraging investments in service sector and in commerce and industry. The balanced development pathway promotes indirect values of the swamp including water and climate regulation services flood

Balancing development and conservation in Kenya’s largest freshwater papyrus wetland in Yala 8 Swamp

control, unexploited tourism potential among others. Balanced development pathway makes the most optimal use of available water for social, economic and development purposes.

3. Ecosystem Service Assessment report finalized The PREPARED project supported the finalization of the Yala Swamp Ecosystem Service Assessment report. To assess ecosystem services provided by the Yala Swamp we used the Toolkit for Ecosystem Service Site-based Assessment (TESSA) developed by Peh et al (2013) to conduct the assessment (http://www.birdlife.org/worldwide/science/assessing-ecosystem-services-tessa). Based on the findings of a rapid appraisal, we identified two possible future scenarios; namely, continued development and balanced scenarios (where conservation and development coexist). We assessed climate regulation, cultivated goods, harvested wild goods, water services and recreation services provided by the swamp in the current and future scenarios. Most of the data on cultivated crops, harvested wild goods and water services were obtained by interviewing Yala Swamp residents. Data on harvested crops from Dominion Farms were based on a questionnaire filled by the farm management, staff interview and field observations. We assessed habitat carbon stocks and recreation value of the swamp using methods laid out in Peh at al (2013).

Soil and vegetation carbon pools at Yala were greatest in natural and semi-natural papyrus dominated habitats and lowest in the drained farmed areas. Current land use in the Yala swamp basin has a net global cooling effect but if reclamation of the organic soils of the swamp continues at the current rate and the stated aims of the rice farming franchise are realised, this net cooling effect is likely to change into a nationally significant net warming effect.

We estimated the net income realised from cultivated crops to be Ksh 113,789,749 for all village farms, but Ksh 509,481,518 for the rice farm, under current land use. This is expected to increase in the continued development and in the balanced scenarios. Fish is the most valuable wild good harvested from the swamp, earning the residents an estimated Ksh 314,192,139 in the current state. The residents also earn an estimated Ksh 80,865,635, Ksh 57,627,056 and Ksh 8,572,344 from papyrus, firewood and thatch grass, respectively, in the current state. The amount of harvested goods from the swamp is expected to decline if the continued development pathway is followed.

Nearly all respondents interviewed obtained water from various sources within the swamp, including from Lake Kanyaboli, canals within the swamp, rivers, boreholes, and dams. However, the residents think that there is already a problem with water quality. There is a need to conduct a more detailed water quality analysis to conclusively determine the impact of increased agricultural activities on the water quality. On recreation, the swamp receives both national and international visitors who spend Ksh 1,170,200 per year at the site. Although this is a rather tiny value compared to those of other services, there is great potential for enhancement through investments in tourism infrastructure, marketing and capacity building among stakeholders. However, this potential would be lost if the continued development pathway is followed.

Yala Swamp has a very high realized and potential monetary value. Continued development would likely lead to an increase in cultivated food production by both Dominion Farms Limited and local residents. However, it would also lead to a nationally significant reduction in climate regulation value, reduced wild goods harvest, lower recreation value and reduced capacity to regulate water quality and flow. Overall, increased agricultural activities by large scale enterprises would lead to increased cultivated food production but the benefits will be enjoyed by a smaller segment of society. On the other hand, expansion of agricultural activities by small holders would lead to increased benefits to a larger segment of society. Although a balance between development and conservation would lead to reduced agricultural potential,

Improved mitigation of crop-related human-wildlife conflict in the cross-boundary amboseli-kilimanjaro ecosystem of Kenya and Tanzania – Deliverable F: Final Technical Report 9

the site would have higher climate, water quantity and quality regulation, and higher recreation values. We therefore recommend that Yala Swamp land use and management policies and plans adopt a balance between development and conservation, so as to improve the socio-economic well-being of the local residents while protecting the diverse biodiversity, and ecosystem services that the site provides.

The findings of the ecosystem services assessment greatly contributed to the land use plan development and to the formulation of the strategic environmental assessment for the Yala Swamp.

4. Selection of community conserved areas (CCAs) and restoration of wildlife habitat

One of the key results for the PREPARED project funding was that the populations of key wetland species will remain stable and/or increase significantly in areas where wildlife habitat is restored or better protected. Stabilizing populations of wetland species is a long term activity. To contribute to this longterm aspiration the project targeted to restore 100ha of degraded areas and 1,000ha was targeted for better protection through the establishment of community conserved areas. Criteria was formulated for selection of community conserved areas. This criteria is described below. Using this criteria community conserved areas (CCAs) with a total acreage of 8,404 ha were selected. The acreage was much more than the initially targeted 1,000ha because the criteria applied for selection of CCAs identified all areas that will be put under conservation, within the Yala Land Use Plan. Within the CCAs a total of 443.8ha were identified as degraded areas out of which the project supported the restoration of 100ha. The criteria for selection of community conservation areas was arrived at through literature review; discussions between Nature Kenya staff and members of the Inter-ministerial Technical Committee (IMTC) for the sustainable management of Kenya Deltas and information generated by routine monitoring of birds, fish and mammals in Yala Swamp. After the Yala Swamp ecosystem services assessment report was completed and formulation of strategic environmental assessment for the Yala Swamp started, there was a compelling need to determine areas of Yala Swamp that could be promoted for conservation to the county governments of Busia and Siaya and local communities. To make a strong case for conservation to the county governments and communities it was important that proposals for conservation areas be based on facts. Key considerations for development of criteria for selection of CCAs are: i. Biodiversity – Yala Swamp is an important bird area and a key biodiversity area therefore biodiversity conservation is the primary reason for creation of conservation areas in the swamp. ii. Intactness of the habitat – In spite its high biodiversity value Yala Swamp has been severely impacted by an extremely adversarial approach to exploitation of its resources. Large areas of the swamp have already been converted to commercial and subsistence agriculture. This has already negatively impacted on all the swamp’s biodiversity with Lake Kanyaboli and its endemic cichlid fish species being the worst affected. Reports from both Siaya and Busia Counties indicate that proposals from more investors targeting the swamp are already under consideration. To serve their primary purpose conservation areas must be selected in such a way to ensure that large parts of the original habitat (swamp) is maintained in its original status. iii. Hydrology of the Yala Swamp – being a wetland, water is the main critical factor in maintaining the habitat of conservation areas. Currently the main negative impact on the hydrology of Yala Swamp is the diversion of River Yala to allow reclamation of the Swamp. For conservation areas to be functional, it is important to understand how water flows within the swamp and water depths. In particular it is important to understand the terrain of the swamp floor to understand which areas can be drained for development and which areas are difficult to drain therefore providing the best opportunities for conservation.

Balancing development and conservation in Kenya’s largest freshwater papyrus wetland in Yala 10 Swamp

a. Criteria developed for selection of CCAs included: i. presence of key biodiversity – these include birds, mammals, and fish ii. Threats to biodiversity – areas with high biodiversity value that face mounting threats are a priority in designation of CCAs iii. Vulnerability to conversion through agricultural expansion – most of potential CCAs are found in areas that are least likely to be converted into agriculture. However some potential CCAs can be easily converted. Areas that host biodiversity but are most vulnerable to conversion make for the most urgent case for conservation action. iv. Representativeness - CCAs must be a good representation of the Yala Swamp in terms of habitat, biodiversity, ecological function and ecosystem services. Therefore we considered areas that collectively offer a fairly good representation of the bigger swamp to be suitable as CCAs. v. Connectivity - Connectivity among the CCAs was considered an important factor, with corridors that allow the movement of water and wildlife and maintain the ecological functions and ecosystem services of the Swamp. Without connectivity CCAs would become islands leading to deleterious effects on the biodiversity they host. vi. Suitability for community engagement - The areas for establishment of CCAs should allow for community engagement. This is because it is the community that will develop and implement regulations and guidelines for the use of the various zones in the CCA. Furthermore it is the community residing within and/or around the CCA who will monitor the CCA and submit data to annual IBA Status and Trends Reports including enforcing the guidelines for access and use. vii. Potential for ecotourism - On account of biodiversity present in potential CCAs and their pristine nature, all the CCAs areas present opportunities for ecotourism by the local communities and the county government. Combining the above criteria, sites identified as CCAs are Lakes Kanyaboli, Sare, and Namboyo and the water corridors connecting the three lakes to the lower parts of the swamp in Bunyala. The lower reaches of Yala Swamp in Bunyala were also identified as potential CCA. Degraded areas were identified using GIS mapping. Even though there are large areas along the edge of the swamp that are degraded, these area already mostly under agriculture either by Dominion or local communities and were not considered for rehabilitation given the risk of subsequent re-conversion into agriculture.

The methodology that Nature Kenya (and partners) previously documented and used for biodiversity surveys within the ecosystem services assessment will be applied in the community conserved areas to conduct baseline studies of birds and other biodiversity. Combining the above criteria, sites identified as CCAs are Lakes Kanyaboli, Sare, and Namboyo and the water corridors connecting the three lakes to the lower parts of the swamp in Bunyala. Semi-commercial fishing takes place in the three lakes although there has been a decline in the populations of many endemic cichlid ﬁshes due to predation pressure by the introduced Nile perch (Lates niloticus); intensive non- selective ﬁshing, extreme changes in the drainage basin, increased eutrophication, and the invasion of the lake by the water hyacinth. Lake Kanyaboli is particularly critical as a refuge for endemic and endangered fish. Further development of agricultural activities is a big threat the lake’s survival and to the survival of the fishing industry that it supports. It is important to ensure that enough water flows through the lake to maintain its ecological integrity. The lower reaches of Yala Swamp in Bunyala were also identified as potential CCA. Acreage of the proposed CCAs is as follows: i. L. Kanyaboli – 4,074 acres ii. L. Namboyo – 2,262 acres iii. L. Sare – 1,312 acres

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iv. River Corridors – 5,339 acres v. Bunyala and lower reaches of the swamp – 7,781 acres Total acreage of proposed CCAs 20,768 acres or 8,404 ha. Degraded areas within the CCAs were identified using GIS mapping and the application of a set of selection criteria. By comparing current land cover with that of past years (2010, 2005 and 1987) we were able to assess land cover change and therefore identify degraded areas. For sustainability only degraded areas that lie within CCAs will be rehabilitated. There are degraded areas within the CCAs with a total area of 443.8 ha. Even though there are large areas along the edge of the swamp that are degraded, these area already mostly under agriculture either by Dominion or local communities and were not considered for rehabilitation given the risk of subsequent re-conversion into agriculture. Through the Yala Ecosystem Site Support Group 300ha of degraded areas within the Yala Swamp have already been planted with papyrus.

5. A Framework for the development a Payment of Ecosystem Services (PES) scheme was developed Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems. According to Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, these services can be grouped into four categories namely; supporting (nutrient cycling, soil formation, primary production); provisioning (food, fresh water, wood and timber, fuel); regulating (climate regulation, flood regulation, disease and pest regulation, water purification, pollination) and cultural services (aesthetic, spiritual, educational, recreation). Ecosystem services are facing immense pressure due to unsustainable use by some beneficiaries. Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) is a term used to describe a range of schemes through which the beneficiaries, or users, of ecosystem services provide payment to the stewards, or providers of those services. One of the most widely used definitions of PES was proposed by Wunder (2005) who explains that “A payment for Ecosystem Service Scheme” is “a voluntary transaction in which a well-defined environmental service, or a form of land use likely to secure that service is bought by at -least one buyer from a minimum of one provider if and only if the provider continues to supply that service.”

For this project Nature Kenya provided a framework for the development a PES scheme through which the users of climate regulation and water services can pay for the conservation of the swamp so that they can continue to enjoy these services. The ecosystem service providers who can participate in this scheme include the local communities living in ecologically sensitive areas of Yala River basin, local communities in the swamp, the county governments of Busia and Siaya- who are the legal custodians of the swamp, and various conservation organisations with mandate in environmental conservation. The potential buyers of the ecosystem services include the voluntary carbon market, companies with a high carbon footprint, water service providers in Yala Swamp basin, companies that rely on the swamp for their raw materials and donors. We propose that the Yala PES scheme be developed and implemented through a participatory process in which stakeholders will agree on the marketable ecosystem services, the providers and the buyers. Yala PES scheme can be ran by a Board through a lean secretariat that harnesses the technical expertise of intermediaries and other stakeholders. We suggest that initially an intermediary works with the county governments of Siaya and Busia to coordinate the process until the board is in place.

6. Five fishponds were established Milestone F of the Nature Kenya grant under the PREPARED Project required the establishment of five (5) Fish Ponds . In July 2015, a team of 6 officers (2 from Nature Kenya, 4 Fisheries Officers 2 in charge of Alego/Usonga Subcounty and 2 in charge of Bondo Subcounty) conducted a field visit in order to identify

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suitable sites for construction of fish ponds. A total of 11 sub-locations were selected for visit as per the criteria outlined in the Guidelines for fish pond site identification. The guidelines were formulated by Nature Kenya in consultation with the Fisheries Department and communities. The following areas were targeted; i. Areas where Nature Kenya has been working since 2006 ii. Areas adjacent to the satellite lakes (Lake Kanyaboli, Lake Namboyo, Lake Sare) -hosting the larger fishing community iii. The areas in Bondo with a larger share of the River Yala A total of 21 sites were visited in 11 sub-locations. Out of the 21 sites, a total of 10 sites met the criteria for selection and were recommended as suitable sites for fish pond construction. In late October 2015, representatives from PREPARED, Nature Kenya and Fisheries Department completed field verification visits of the selected sites for fish ponds. The aim of the field visit was to ascertain the suitability of the recommended sites for the construction of five (5) fish ponds as per agreed criteria, listed below as laid out in the environmental monitoring form which was used during the field verification:

i. Location: ensure there is no loss of habitat, a buffer zone from the river/swamp and good soil preferably clay. Technical Officers from the Department of Fisheries were involved in site selection to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and best practices. The ponds will be located away from flood sites to avoid stock loss. ii. Design: ensure pond depth is shallow enough to prevent stratification and make a settling pond. The ponds will be approximately 300 square feet and no more than 1 meter deep. The fish ponds will be built where water flows into the ponds via gravity (no external devices to pump/move water will be necessary). The fish ponds will not have any waste disposal issues and no drain water will not contain any artificial feeds because the ponds will be give adequate time to allow biodegradation prior to drainage. iii. Construction: line the bottom and sides of ponds with impervious material, dig deep enough to control weed growth and minimize sediment erosion by using gradual slops in construction and making a discharge channel. However, given the deep clay soils in the Yala Swamp area ponds will not need any artificial lining. iv. Monitor: maintain water quality, control effluents. v. Stock: only use native, indigenous fish species including Oreochromis niloticus and catfish Clarias gariepinus (as necessary) Mono sex fish fingerlings/male will be sourced from the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KEMFRI) or suppliers approved by KEMFRI including the Lake Basin Development Authority and Dominion Farms Ltd. Supplementary fish feeding will be from organic sources as recommended by the Fisheries Office.

The team made up of representatives from PREPARED, Fisheries Department Officers, Nature Kenya staff and community representatives, reviewed a total of 21 potential sites and ranked them on the criteria listed above. Of the 21 sites reviewed, 8 sites met the minimum criteria to install a fish pond. Nature Kenya then held preliminary meetings with the communities to determine their interest and willingness to contribute to the establishment and maintenance of the fish ponds. Based on the environmental criteria and assessment of the communities, five sites were selected to establish fishponds:

i. Fishpond 1, Site 3a: South Central Alego Location, Kadenge Sublocation, Kanyango village; GPS location: N 00 01.776' E 034 10.272' ii. Fishpond 2, Site 3b: South Central Alego Location, Kadenge Sublocation, Kanyango village; GPS location: 0.0341787, 34.1621660

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iii. Fishpond 3, Site 5a: Central Alego Location, Ojuando ‘A’ Sublocation, Ndai village; GPS location N 00 03.837' E 034 10.123' iv. Fishpond 4, Site 5b: Central Alego Location, Ojuando ‘A’ Sublocation, Ndai village; and GPS location: 0.0631308, 34.1888047 v. Fishpond 5, Site 21: North Yimbo Location, Barkanyango Sublocation, Barkanyango village GPS Location: N 00 00.253' E 034 05.804' Nature Kenya then held meeting with beneficiary Community Based Organizations (CBOs) at the respective sites to discuss the purpose of fishpond establishment, process for construction and the expected contribution of the beneficiaries in fish pond excavation.

Nature Kenya staff and Fisheries Officers in meeting with beneficiaries from Kanyango Fish Farmers and Kadenge Solidarity Towards Equal Participation (KASTEP) CBO in November 2015 at Gendro village. Photo credit: Emily Mateche

In mid-November 2015, a meeting was conducted with all the beneficiaries of the five fishponds in Siaya County to agree on the strategy and process to establish the fishponds. During the meeting, beneficiaries were trained on some basics in fish farming including pond management and common pitfalls in fish farming. By the end of the one and half day meeting in Siaya town there was a general consensus among the beneficiaries, that: i. Each CBO beneficiary will excavate the ponds as part of their community contribution. The contributed labor would be at an average cost of Kenya Shillings 30,000 per fish pond. ii. Nature Kenya would provide fingerlings and fish feeds for the first production cycle. iii. Fisheries Department would provide technical support through supervision of the construction and onsite training demonstrations including pond liming and fertilization, fingerlings sourcing, stocking, feeding and pond management. iv. Completion of the fish farms should take 10 days per pond; and the beneficiaries should be able to start harvesting and selling the fish within 6-8 months for tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and catfish (Clarias gariepinus) respectively after completion. Fishponds were established as per the information given in the following table:

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Table 2: Number of fishponds established Site Number of Fingerlings and species fishponds South Central Alego Location, 2 Each pond is 30m by 10m and 1 meter deep and is Kadenge Sublocation, Kanyango stocked with 1000 fingerlings of catfish Clarias village gariepinus which is a native fish species Central Alego Location, Ojuando ‘A’ 2 Each pond is 25m by 12m and 1 meter deep and Sublocation, Ndai village stocked with 1,000 fingerlings of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) North Yimbo Location , 1 The pond is (30m by 10m and 1 meter deep) and Barkanyango Sublocation, stocked with 1000 fingerlings of the native tilapia Barkanyango village (Oreochromis niloticus) 860 kilograms of fish have been harvested from the 5 ponds out of which beneficiary households consumed 90 kilos and sold the rest for a total of Ksh. 173,000.

7. TRAINING TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY LIVELIHOODS Training Plans and Training manuals were developed for the following: i. Training in the creation and marketing of high-value papyrus products ii. Training on entrepreneurship for businesses; iii. Training on wildlife guiding; and iv. Training on Tourism administration and management. The materials provided guidance for training community groups that are beneficiaries from the project.

Using the above training manuals a total of 100 community members were trained, collectively in the following training areas:

• Training in the creation and marketing of high-value papyrus products, 25 (16 females, 9males) • Training on entrepreneurship for businesses; 45 participants (15 females, 30 males) • Training on wildlife guiding; and Tourism administration and management., 30 participants (6 females, 24 males)

Training in wildlife guiding and tourism administration and management: Training in wildlife guiding and tourism business administration and management were combined since the two have a lot in common, and the identified trainers were the same for the two areas. We used two trainers who are accomplished and accredited tour guides who have established successful businesses. We also invited staff from the Department of Tourism Siaya County, to provide insight into county priorities in the tourism sector and identify possible areas for collaboration with the trained guides.

The tourism industry in Siaya and Busia counties is underexploited. There are few facilities that meet industry standards. The county governments have also not prioritized tourism with no tourist packages and little investment towards development of manpower, branding and packaging attractions for marketing. Enthusiasm among the community is high and with a bit of encouragement tourism could start contributing to household incomes. Key outcomes from the training include:

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• Guides were supported to form a community Based Tourism Association, registered with social services and operating a bank account • Four guides were supported to attend fundamentals of ornithology – a professional two week birding course offered by top birders in kenya • The four Guides were provided with binoculars and bird guide books. A pool of binoculars and bird guide books was provided for use during bird walks which take place twice every month, coordinated from the Nature Kenya office in Siaya. • The trained guides will participate in monthly bird walks, common bird monitoring, water fowl counts coordinated by the Nature Kenya office in Siaya • Tourist hot spots in Siaya County were identified, and tourist packages described • The trained guides took visitors from Mali, Senegal, Ethiopia, the Netherlands and Kenya on a birding trip in the Yala Swamp. The visitors also donated some 15 pairs of binoculars and some cash to the guides for their activities. The visitors were brought to the swamp by Wetlands International.

A section of the participants during the training; seated centre front row-Hon. Charles Akelloh, CECM Tourism, Wildlife Conservation & ICT who officially opened the workshop. Photo credit: Emily Mateche Trained community guides conduct monthly bird walks attended by the larger community and school children. The guides have cumulatively earned a total of Ksh. 86,090 being guiding fee paid by visitors to the Yala Swamp. Training in the creation and marketing of high-value papyrus products: Training in papyrus product development was done in mid-2015. We identified a trainer from a community business in Kisumu who make and market high value papyrus products. 25 weavers were trained in three

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phases with level 1, 2, and 3 with the first level being the most basic and level 3 the most advanced. Training was by doing practical weaving. After the 3-level training the same trainer was engaged to mentor groups at group level where he supported groups to refine their skills and to broaden the scope of products they are able to effectively make. Every visit results in ‘homework’ in the form of products to be completed at a specific date. The weavers were trained in fabrication of metal frames and through co-funding from the Darwin Initiative we furnished a workshop for them complete with welding machines, grinders etc. The workshop is also a community center of excellence to demonstrate production of high end papyrus products in a sustainable way. Since then the weavers have remarkable improved the quality and variety of products and have so far sold products worth more than Ksh. 76,000. The weavers have also registered with social services and opened a bank account.

Weavers practice in making papyrus products during level 1 training. Photo credit Emily Mateche

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Weavers making products during level 2 training. Photo credit Emily Mateche

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Weavers apply vanish onto to finished products. Photo credit Emily Mateche

Training on entrepreneurship for businesses: The training was organized as a 3 day forum by Nature Kenya and facilitated by CODIT Institute. A total of 45 participants (15 females, 30 males) attended the training. The participants, were from CODIT Institute (2 facilitators), 4 staff from Nature Kenya, 39 individuals representing 30 constituent CBOs of the Dunga and Yala Ecosystem SSGs and 7 BMUs under the HoPE-LVB project. The community groups had not received any training in business development, management and entrepreneurship. Therefore the training in this area was expected to be of practical use to them in the management of the various businesses initiated by Nature Kenya through the project funding.

Groups committed to keep up to date records, renew registration certificates with social services, review constitutions, update group membership, develop business plans for income generating activities,

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The facilitator Mr. Anyona emphasizes a point during the session on book keeping. Photo credits - John Kiptum

There is evidence that the project beneficiaries are applying lessons learned from the training in entrepreneurship. For instance the Yala Swamp Ecosystem Site Support Group started an income generating activity where they buy plain tea mugs, brand them with the papyrus endemic birds found in the Yala Swamp and a simple conservation message and then sell for a small profit which is all remitted to a conservation fund. The Conservation fund supports the SSGs activities that are not of income generating nature such as biodiversity monitoring and community and school awareness programmes. So far the sale of branded tea mugs has earned the SSG Ksh. 4,650.

a) Lessons learned video documentary produced A video documenting the project activities and lessons learned was produced and submitted to PREPARED. The documentary features importance of the Yala Swamp, challenges facing conservation of the swamp, and the project outputs including: impact on community livelihoods through income generating activities; perspectives of the national government and County Governments of Siaya and Busia on the land use plan and strategic environmental assessment, among others. From the documentary the land use plan has ownership of the county government and its completion is eagerly awaited. Communities appreciate all the support provided by the project and indicate that their lives have been transformed by it.

3 SUCCESSES

Improved Participatory Decision Making To engage in decision making processes: Through their involvement in land use planning, the local community through the Yala Planning Advisory committee (YPAC) can now effectively engage with decision makers. YPAC effectively engaged in the land use planning process providing crucial information for the plan and challenging decision makers on pertinent issues (such as unprocedural land allocations to developers) affecting the conservation of Yala Swamp. The capacity of the Yala Ecosystem Site Support Group was built through the project and the group has held events to create awareness during World Wetlands Day, World Environment Day and World Migratory Bird Day. Twice during these events the

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group successfully lobbied the County Government of Siaya to contribute finances towards expenses related to the events. In addition, several community outfits have been formed or enhanced through the project e.g. registration of weavers groups, tourism based organization among others. Through skills imparted: Communities were trained in production and marketing of high value papyrus products, in wildlife guiding, tourism business administration and management and entrepreneurship. This will make the groups more effective in delivering their objectives in environment conservation.

Improvement of community livelihoods Community livelihoods have been improved through fish farming, production and sale of high value papyrus products and tour guiding. The project implementation strategy included an inbuilt sustainability strategy where proceeds from income generating activities will be divided three ways among the individual beneficiary, wider community and to support conservation work through the site support group. This means that the CBOs will be able to continue with activities after the project is completed.

Capacity of technical capacity of national and county government built in land use planning and strategic environmental assessment The technical people from the national government who led the formulation of the Yala Swamp land use plan and SEA were applying lessons learned from a similar process in Tana Delta. However, unlike in the Tana Delta where we had the services of an international consultant the Yala Swamp process had no such consultant. Therefore the project helped to build government capacity in the two areas of land use planning and strategic environmental assessment. Since it was the first time such a process was taking place in Siaya and Busia Counties the capacity of relevant staff was also built. The capacity of Nature Kenya staff was also built through engagement in the land use planning process and the SEA.

Contribution to knowledge The project contributed to knowledge in two key areas namely the ecosystem service assessment and the framework for development of a PES scheme. The two processes had never been conducted in the Yala Swamp and information generated will be useful for future processes and decision making.

4 LESSONS LEARNED AND BEST PRACTICES

The best way to train communities is through demonstration as opposed to classroom type of training Communities learn more through hands on training especially of practical activities than if it is classroom based. This was evident in the training in production of high value papyrus products. In addition to the training conducted to all the weavers together, the project invested in mentoring of weavers at group level and addressing specific challenges facing them at group level. This has greatly contributed to the success of in production and marketing of papyrus products. Group members now hold monthly meetings where they discuss progress and challenges facing them and chart the way forward. They have successfully lobbied the county government to allocate them space that acts as a store and a market outlet for their products. Nature Kenya stocks some of the papyrus products and response from clients has so far been encouraging.

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Monetary contribution of beneficiary communities into income generating activities is important in fostering community ownership of initiatives e.g. Fish farming The strategy to require fish ponds beneficiaries to excavate the ponds at their cost was a strong one. For one this helped Nature Kenya to identify serious groups from the ones that were not serious. Secondly it helped the groups to develop ownership of their ponds as opposed to ‘Nature Kenyas’ ponds. So far the fish farming venture has done very well and we believe early ownership by the beneficiaries played a major role in the success.

Empowered communities can replicate project and speed up uptake of project activities and are the legacy of the project By empowering the Yala Ecosystem Site Support Group (SSG), the group was able to catalyze action to plant a total of 300ha of papyrus as opposed to the targeted 100ha. This is because the SSG is made up of 38 community based organizations (CBOs) who the SSG was able to quickly mobilize.

Complex conservation problems can only be solved through a negotiated approach which brings all stakeholders at the table Land use planning is a complicated matter because it touches on land and land issues are quite emotive all over Kenya. It is even more complicated when two counties share a resource for which they have to come together and develop a land use plan. The process of formulating the land use plan for Yala Swamp is more robust and successful compared to the Tana Delta one. This is because as opposed to the Tana Delta process where the plan was formulated by technical staff and now needs to be presented to the county assembly for adoption, the Yala Swamp plan formulation process already involves the relevant members of county assembly and house committees from both Siaya and Busia Counties. This is in addition to the technical staff from county and national government. Communities are also involved through the Yala Planning Advisory Committee. The governor of Siaya has already been briefed twice about the process and all are in support of the land use plan.

Working with mandated government agencies provides free technical support and is a legacy for continued support to communities Working with the Fisheries Department and the Kenya Forest Service to advice communities on fish farming and papyrus planting was a strong strategy. It saved the project money and since these extension officers are already based on the ground their services will continue to be available to the community after the project is completed.

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U.S. Agency for International Development 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20523 Tel: (202) 712-0000 Fax: (202) 216-3524 www.usaid.gov