Tanzania has announced a nationwide ban on the use of plastic bags starting from June 1, 2019. Tanzania follows similar steps by Kenya and Rwanda; to phase out non-biodegradable plastics in an attempt to tackle plastic pollution. Reacting to this news, Greenpeace Africa’s Senior Campaign Manager, Renee Olende has said: “Greenpeace Africa welcomes the decision…
African Forest Forum to mark 10 years
By Adelyn Wangusi The African Forest Forum (AFF) is commemorating a decade of its work on African forestry in Nairobi, Kenya. Since its establishment, the African Forest Forum (AFF) has provided a bridge between science-based knowledge and good policies to support sustainable forest management; effectively working within a science-policy-management framework. “We started this journey on December 06,…
Blue Economy: Busia County to promote bamboo growing
By Checky Abuje Kenya’s focus on the blue economy is now getting on track with the adoption of the strategy by the department of Kenya Forestry Services Busia County which has chosen to advance the planting of bamboo planting along the River Nzoia bed. Speaking to Africa Science News reporter at the border county of…
Population rise poses danger to Africa’s land
By Adlyne Wangusi Africa’s rising population will continue to exert pressure on land health, experts meeting in Nairobi have said. “Unless urgent and concerted action is taken, land degradation will worsen in the face of population growth, unprecedented consumption, an increasingly globalized economy and climate change,” said Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) Director General…
East Africa’s wetlands endangered, Rwandan researcher says
By Adlyne Wangusi The East African wetlands are in great danger due to human activities including human settlement. According to research conducted by John Kalisa from the University of Rwanda, there are gaps that have contributed to this situation. For instance, pollution of the environment around the wetlands area is on the rise. Kalisa focused…
UN: Consumers, Private Sector critical in fighting droughts and land degradation
More than 3.2 billion people, or 2 in every 5 people, are impacted by land degradation today and up to 143 million people could move within their countries by 2050 to escape water scarcity and falling crop productivity due to the slow onset impacts of climate change. To avoid these threats, Monique Barbut, Executive Secretary…
Vipers: Kenya, China sign pact to restrict illegal trade
By Gitonga Njeru in Kenya Kenya and China have forged a partnership in restricting the illegal trade of rare vipers. The vipers are illegally trafficked and sold in China to cartels and criminals. The Kenya-China partnership has been influenced under the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora…
African smallholder farmers get insurance worth $ 1.5 m after low rainfall
Poor rainfall in parts of Africa has triggered the largest insurance pay-out to date for vulnerable farmers under an innovative climate risk management scheme known as the R4 Rural Resilience Initiative (R4). Farmers participating in R4 – launched by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and Oxfam America in 2011 – will receive insurance…