News from the CEPA e-mail list

Two new CEPA strategies for wetland sites (02/06/05)

Good morning CEPA list members:

I have recently been informed of two CEPA strategies for wetland sites (one of them a Ramsar Site), by Miriam Zacharia and Norbert Ngowi, two of our CEPA Government contacts in Tanzania. Here's a brief description of the two strategies. You can download both these documents as PDF files from the action plan page on the CEPA web pages at http://www.ramsar.org/outreach_nationalactionplans.htm (scroll down to site action plans).

1. The first comes from the Malagarasi-Muyovozi Wetland, Tanzania's first Ramsar Site, which has benefited from a DANIDA sponsored project on the Sustainable and Integrated Management of the Malagarasi-Muyovozi Ramsar Site (SIMMORS). This has been implementing communications, awareness and education activities as part of its other Key Result Area tasks, but until recently there has not been a holistic approach to CEPA activities. To resolve this, a special consultancy (also sponsored by DANIDA) was devised to design a CEPA strategy for the Malagarasi-Muyovozi Site.

Beginning in November 2003, two fieldwork periods allowed the consultants to gather knowledge of the wetland communities' education and communications needs. A great diversity of methods were used during the fieldwork including Questionnaire Surveys, Semi-structured Interviews, Activity mapping, Community Mapping Exercises, Pair-wise comparison of publicity materials, Analysis of secondary sources of information, Experiential Learning, Role Play / Drama, Group Analysis and Discussion, Drawing/graphic art/use of visual examples, Children's 'Environment' Drawing, Computer - based presentations, Workshops, Word games, song and poetry creation, creation of displays and design and implementation of wetland walks in conjunction with World Wetlands Day.

Following an analysis of this data, conclusions and recommendations were formulated and feedback was given to stakeholders through workshops, meetings and the circulation of a draft strategy document. After a re-drafting was carried out on the basis of the responses and opinions of stakeholders a final strategy was developed which best fits the needs, capacities and interests of the various stakeholders. This document, entitled 'Tukate Kiu cha Maarifa' in Swahili (which means 'Let's quench that thirst for knowledge') is available in PDF format (2.3 MB) at the URL given above.

It briefly describes the methodology used to arrive at the strategy, presents the overall observations/ conclusions/recommendations from the fieldwork, and a series of matrices detailing issues to be addressed by the strategy such as outputs and activities, timing of delivery and budgetary estimates. There is also a useful section in the strategy that looks at how to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the strategy. For further information on this action plan please contact simmors@taboraonline.com.

2. The second document, the 'Lake Jipe Awareness Raising Strategy (2005 - 2007)', has been developed for the Ramsar Administrative Authority by a consultant, with funding from IUCN.

Lake Jipe is a basin lake shared between Tanzania and Kenya with a rich biodiversity. More than 120,000 inhabitants depend on the lake for their livelihood mainly through fishing, agriculture and animal husbandry.

The lake is facing a number of environmental and management problems including siltation, soil erosion, recurring droughts leading to a shrinking fishery, deforestation, reduced lake run-off, overgrazing and invasive waterweeds. Other problems include transboundary resource management issues as well as limited income generating activities among the communities, and the need for an attitudinal change regarding suitable crops to grow in the area.

To try to resolve these issues the Ramsar Administrative Authority in Tanzania has initiated the preparation of a Lake Jipe environmental management plan which will elaborate the short, medium and long term measures for conservation of the lake and its resources. As the first step towards preparation of the plan, the Ministry initiated preparation of this awareness-raising strategy for all Lake Jipe stakeholders. The objective is to elaborate and sensitize stakeholders of their roles, rights and responsibilities in conservation, and sustainable utilization of the lake and its resources.

This is a three-year awareness raising strategy, which describes the major issues and challenges of Lake Jipe area as well as the various national policies, and the regional and international treaties and agreements relevant for conservation of the lake. It also outlines the benefits people get from lake and thus the need to conserve it.

Using open-ended questionnaires and interviews, the study assessed the many issues as seen by the various stakeholder groups (including national and local government, local community groups, NGOs etc) and then identified information needs, communication means and channels for vertical and horizontal communications to facilitate decision-making and planning for sustainable resources utilization. It also includes an action plan and required budget to implement the strategy, and identifies the lead organizations to implement the various activities suggested as well as the messages and communication channels to be used.

You can download this in PDF format (947KB) from the URL given above. For further information on the strategy please contact norbertjuk@yahoo.co.uk.

With best wishes, Sandra Hails, Ramsar Secretariat

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