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…
Nairobi meet to explore Africa climate change technologies
By Herman Opondo Representatives from government, private sector, and finance and research institutions will gather in Nairobi, Kenya, 9–10 April 2018 to deliberate on climate change technology transfer. Organised by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), a founding United Nations Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) consortium partner, the meeting will be held during Africa Climate…
illegal trade in Ivory: UK on spot
While the world has focused on arm twisting China and some Far East nations to have them stop ivory markets and help salvage African elephant numbers, it has now emerged that trade in illegal ivory is rampant in Britain, in some cases with the knowledge of the British Government, Africa Science can authoritatively reveal. It…
Plan to save wetlands in Kenya, Uganda
By Cheki Abuje The global Environmental Conservation entity – International Crane Foundation (ICF) in collaboration with International Crane Conservation (ICC)-Kenya Chapter have swiftly moved in to save the endangered wildlife species from destruction in Kenya and Uganda Wetlands occasioned by human activities. Speaking in Western Kenya at Sio-Siteko Wetlands in Busia County, the East…
Kenyans fear proposed Trump’s USAID cuts could threaten elephants, rangers
If Congress okays Trump’s USAID cuts, Kenyans worry that the only wildlife forensics lab in East Africa could close and ranger jobs might vanish, threatening the environment. Gitonga Njeru writes President Donald Trump’s “skinny budget,” made public in March, has not yet been approved, and still awaits a response by a Congress highly skeptical…
Pastoralists, Greenpeace Africa Welcome Move to Ban Plastic Bags in Kenya
Kenyan pastoalists, and the Greenpeace Africa have lauded Kenya’s move to ban plastic bags starting end of this month. Reacting to the news that the ban will take effect on 28th August and that the government has ruled out extension of the order, the two groups praised the government for the regulation that will be…
South Africa’s Rhino Auction – selling a Bloody Harvest for Profit
Experts say South Africa’s first ever legal auction of rhinoceros horn will enrich few, and is likely to speed the road to extinction for one of the world’s most endangered species. The auction takes place on Monday. “This sale of rhino horn is inexcusable,” said Dr Joseph Okori, Director forSouthern Africa of the International Fund…
MSC scholarships to help fund fisheries research in East Africa and Kenya
Lily Zhao from the University of Washington, USA and the Stockholm Resilience Centre in Sweden won the award for her project mapping the trade flows of octopus from small scale fisheries in East Africa. Octopuses are a common food in the region and little is known about the export and interdependencies between countries in terms…