Protecting Lamu's Marine Heartbeat

This year’s World Ocean Day was a reminder to us all to sustain what sustains us. The ocean is the main source of livelihoods for the Lamu Community, and for this reason, conserving it is mandatory. We are working hand-in-hand with partner organizations and the Lamu community to protect marine life in our ocean, hence the Kinyika JCMA Project. Read on for updates on what we have been up to in the past 4 months.

Capacity Building our Community Leaders

We have 10 Beach Management Units (BMUs) directly dependent on marine resources around Kinyika Rock, and together, we are creating a strategy on how to conserve this biodiverse area sustainably. We have had the following trainings with members of the executive of all these BMUs:

1. Gender Mainstreaming, Advocacy, Social Inclusion, Teamwork & Community Mobilization

During the Lamu BMU elections season, we conducted this training on the executive members, reminding them the importance of social inclusion and teamwork with the whole community, to avoid discrimination of gender, age or physical abilities. As we protect Kinyika and improve livelihoods, it is important to strengthen community mobilization and advocacy of environmental justice.

2. Socioeconomics Households Survey

We had 20 enumerators and 10 supervisors go to 1170 households for a socioeconomic survey, all to determine how many households depend on the ocean for their livelihoods and what aspects of their lives will be hugely impacted by both good and poor management of Kinyika Area. The survey informs proper planning and decision making to support their livelihoods. 

3. Data Collectors Supervision

We spent a full week with our data collectors at the landing sites where we got to ensure credible data collection processes, get their invaluable feedback, and witness challenges they're facing. Ever since we attended their BMU assembly meetings late last year to give feedback on their fish data, there has been an improvement on data collection, and new challenges have come up as well. We are looking into these challenges as we prepare for the next community data feedback meeting.

The CEO Visit - Spending Time With Our Strategic Partners

Leadership is not a title, it is a behavior; no truer words could describe Ebrima Saidy. As part of his induction into the CEO role of Blue Ventures, Ebrima set out to visit all partner organisations supported by Blue Ventures, and their projects. His first stop in Kenya was 3 days with us.

The CEO was keen to know the story of LaMCoT, before visiting the Amu BMU office and landing site to understand our work with the community better. The highlight of this visit was when all BMUs sent their representatives to Kipungani, where we spent the day bonding and experience-sharing on this journey we have walked together as the community, LaMCoT and Blue Ventures, in rebuilding fisheries ecosystems.

The community presented a skit that clearly communicated their governance issues and solutions implemented so far. They insisted that we walk this conservation journey to the end, something that the CEO echoed.  To end this grand visit, we went on an evening sunset sail along the mangrove channels, to show off the scenic Lamu. 

The Kuruwitu Exchange Learning Visit

The Kinyika JCMA Co-management Planning Committee (CPC) went on a 3-day trip to Kilifi County to learn from the Kuruwitu locally managed  marine area (LMMA) community about their successful closure. The CPC members representing all 10 BMUs in this project are instrumental in spearheading the Kinyika JCMA planning process.

The Kuruwitu community shared their successes and challenges they have faced with their LMMA since its establishment, and our CPC members were evidently engrossed in learning more. 

For one, their coral restoration project supported by Oceans Alive got us snorkeling to see the successful restoration, with corals growing on the structures created by the community, and marine life thriving in these areas. 

We visited the Timboni Environmental Group where we witnessed permaculture at its best. The Kilifi fishing community grows vegetables, herbs and spices that they eat and sell, so that one is not overly dependent on the ocean. It was impressive to see that even with limited land, one can still farm sustainably and use organic pesticides and fertilizers.

We also visited the Kuruwitu CBO Women’s Group who keep the environment clean by collecting glasses & plastic and selling it for recycling. They are also a money-saving group who meet every Thursday to discuss finances. It is an initiative that got our CPC members thinking about what projects they can do in their BMUs besides fishing, a good example of a circular economy where trash is cash. 

Plans For Kinyika JCMA

This June marks the end of phase 1 of the Kinyika JCMA Initiative; which involved strengthening BMU governance, resource mapping, scoping and initiation of Kinyika JCMA management process, just to mention a few. The next phases will focus on strengthening the foundation of these management plans and alternative livelihood initiatives for the people of Lamu community, so stay tuned for more updates starting the next financial year.

Written by Evelyn Kimori