VCA at Africa Climate Week

The event moderated by SSN focused on the African Climate Week themed pillar: societies, health, livelihoods, nature and economies.

As part of the engagement WWF Zambia shared the locally-led restoration activities undertaken so far of the Nsongwe river by a rural community woman champion – Mrs Mayer – which included the desilting of the river beds, stopping agriculture activities along the river bank and planting of indigenous trees.

This has enabled the groundwater springs to start flowing again after many years of dryness such that even at the peak of the dry season, the restored portion have water. The restored portion has attracted wildlife, some fish, birds and some restored vegetation that had disappeared with the absence of water in the area.

WWF Tunisa and Kenya highlighted the focus of VCA Partners La Ruche and Global Nature Conservation who have been working on restoration initiatives such as promoting indigenous tree restoration of the Oasis maritime (traditional palm trees) of the Kerkennah archipelago lying off the East coast of Tunisia and tree growing in degraded landscapes of Kenya through and using bee keeping as an alternative livelihood.

The platform as well facilitated the engaged among policy makers from Zambia – Member of Parliament and Co-chair of the Parliamentary Caucus on conservation to exchange on climate solutions, barriers to overcome and opportunities realized in different parts of the African region.