Our team of women Grassland Champions have put exceptional effort into promoting and implementing sustainable grazing practices in northern Kenya. This initiative is born out of a deep understanding of the crucial role that grasslands play in the ecological balance and the livelihoods of local communities. The Grassland Champions are striving to preserve and restore these vital ecosystems while ensuring the well-being of both people and wildlife.
The GZT rangelands team recently had the opportunity to visit our six new Grassland Champions both in Meibae and Kalama conservancies in their small havens. The team was so happy to see the progress made over the past three months, including the participation of 100 community members throughout several zones thanks to the leadership of these women. Through this work, the community has connected site management practices to larger zonal grazing planning, which has given satisfying results.
We have also received positive community feedback and their day-to-day involvement in the management of the sites and dry season blocks show community progress in owning and embracing rangelands management. Challenges still exist, but we have been able to address them in our inter-conservancy Grassland Champions meetings.
In advancing Grassland Champions, we have the goal of standing out strong as community role models, mobilisers and awareness creators on rangelands management best practice. During the most recent meeting in Meibae Conservancy, the these women had an opportunity to:
- Reflect back on their journey for the last three years for Westgate and four months for Kalama and Meibae.
- Compare notes on the successes and challenges they experienced.
- Participate in inter-conservancy learning exchange visits, including the Meibae sites. This promotes a positive competitive spirit and opportunities to encourage each other.
- Reflect on short-term results versus continuous management. Challenge themselves to ensure the lokeres (protected grass sites) withstand the pressure throughout the dry season.
- Discuss how best to address wildlife accessing the sites and the community’s response.
These Grassland Champions are leading their communities in making sure that the planned grazing patterns are well implemented. Recently, our Grassland Champions held a joint meeting with Lependera and Ilmoothi elders on wet season action plan follow-up, with 43 elders in attendance. Our Grassland Champions are bearing fruit in their areas of work, especially during this wet season, and we look forward to all they are going to accomplish moving forward.
We are extremely grateful to World Women Work for empowering these extraordinary women!
