African Forest Forum

Photo: The Karura Forest Natural River ( via Wikimedia Commons / Evans Nyawate)

AFF TRAINING WORKSHOP ON STRENGTHENING CAPACITY OF FORESTRY STAKEHOLDERS IN KENYA TO DEVELOP BANKABLE PROJECTS ON ENHANCING RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND IMPROVEMENT OF LIVELIHOODS

  1. Background

Forests and tree resources contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation in different ways. They are source of income and livelihood to many people across Africa and rest of the world. It is with this understanding that the African Forest Forum (AFF) designed a project entitled “African Forests, People and Climate Change” that is currently on its third phase of implementation supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) since 2011. Through this project, AFF has conducted many studies since 2019, three of which focused on: (i) strengthening capacity of stakeholders in African forestry to integrate and uptake adaptation and mitigation options in response to climate change; (ii) strengthening REDD+ implementation in African countries; and (iii) strengthening capacity of stakeholders in African forestry to improve on production and trade in gums and resins. Based on the findings of the first study, a framework was developed for integrating forest and tree-based adaptation and mitigation options in response to climate change and variability. The three studies also identified limited and unsustainable funding as one of the major constraints limiting implementation of promising forest and tree-based activities, projects, programmes and policies in response to climate change.  Also, inadequate technical capacities among stakeholders in African forestry to develop bankable projects for implementation and uptake of integration of adaptation and mitigation options while simultaneously accelerating REDD+ in African countries remains a significant challenge.

It is in this context that AFF advocates that imparting relevant knowledge and skills to stakeholders in African forestry is critical for countries to mobilize adequate resources that could support their forestry activities.  To contribute to this effort, AFF recruited national experts in 2021 and 2022 from five countries viz.  Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Zambia and Kenya to undertake the following:

  1. Compile and/or update list of actors/stakeholders, including potential ones, engaged in:
    • implementing and/or up taking forest and tree-based adaptation and mitigation options; including elaboration and strengthening forest and tree-based resilience measures to adverse effects of climate change;
    • implementing REDD+ projects and programmes and activities; and
    • assessing gums, resins and other NTFPs value chains. In both cases include information on their status, priority areas of intervention, s and resources needs;
  2. Compile a list of potential donors, including their focal areas of funding/support, that could be targeted for support, including an analysis of their advantages, disadvantages and requirements;
  3. Based on (i) and (ii) develop contextualized training materials on resources mobilization to support development of bankable projects that target:
    • integration and uptake of forest and tree-based adaptation and mitigation options as well as resilience to adverse effects of climate change;
    • enhancement of REDD+; and
    • strengthening of gums, resins and NTFPs value chains;

4. In collaboration with AFF secretariat, undertake the training of trainers on resources mobilization as well as on development of bankable projects as stipulated in (iii);

  • Prioritize and select at least two draft project ideas/concept notes, in different forest types (including identification of their host institutions/stakeholders) for follow-up with AFF secretariat and finalization for submission by the relevant national entity; and
  • Guide all trainees to develop an effective and realistic action plan and strategy for sustainable resource mobilization.

It is against this background and experience that AFF, with the facilitation of the contracted national experts is organizing a three-days training write-shop that seeks to strengthen the capacity of forestry stakeholders in Kenya to develop bankable projects that could enhance community resilience to climate change and improve their livelihoods.

  1. Rationale and purpose of the training workshop

Forestry stakeholders in Kenya face challenges on identifying the donors and linking their priorities in developing bankable projects. Specifically, it was noted from the training needs assessment (TNA) undertaken by the experts that most of the institutions/organisations implementing forest and tree-based activities have limited capacity to conceptualise and develop bankable projects that could contribute to integrated mitigation and adaptation benefits, enhance REDD+ implementation and promote entrepreneurship opportunities for NTFPs.  The TNA also revealed varied competency levels and needs on project management cycle, resource planning, fundraising conventions, creating linkages and relationship with potential funders, and developing resource mobilization concepts for funding.

Based on these findings, the African Forest Forum, in its annual work plan 2022 for the project “African Forests, People and Climate Change”, scheduled a training workshop for trainers of trainers (ToTs) in Kenya in order to impart knowledge and skills on development on resource mobilization and development of bankable projects that would be appropriate to different forest landscapes in the country.

  1. Objectives of the training workshop

The overall objective of the training workshop is to strengthen the capacity of stakeholders in forestry in Kenya to develop bankable projects that could contribute to enhancing resilience to climate change and improvement of livelihoods.

Specifically, the training workshop will address the following:

  • Mapping and profiling donor/development partners (at national, regional and international levels) relevant to forestry sector; and more specifically those with potential to support projects on integration of forest and tree-based climate change mitigation and adaptation, REDD+ implementation, development/strengthening of gums and resins and other dryland NTFP value chains;
  • Concept note drafting process (Components of a good and award-winning proposal; problem tree analysis, definition of project objectives, outputs and activities; theory of change, logical framework)
  • Development of bankable forest and tree-based projects targeting potential/relevant development partners.
  • Mobilizing resources for forest and tree-based projects, and more specifically targeting climate and forest finance.
  1. Expected outputs
  • A catalogue of donors/development partners interested in or with potential for funding forestry and climate change projects developed;
  • An understanding of resource mobilization process enhanced;
  • Bankable draft concept notes developed;
  • Road map for an effective and realistic action plan and strategy for sustainable resource mobilization established by each participant.
  1. Duration

The training workshop will be of three days.

  1. Participants

Twenty-five participants from forestry administration, civil society, private sector and community-based organizations operating in the three target areas (integration of forest and tree-based climate change mitigation and adaptation, REDD+, gums and resins and other dryland NTFP value chains) are expected to attend the workshop.

  1. Venue and Logistics

The venue of the workshop will be in Nairobi City on 13-15 July 2022. A Zoom link will be provided for ease of reference.

For more information, download the concept note here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To download the concept note, click here