July 15, 2014
Pitching to the Dragons: Where Science Meets Policy and Communications
Abby Waldorf
CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems
How can scientists mobilize their knowledge for action? During the Science Communications for Policy Impact side event at the LPFN in Africa Conference in Nairobi, researchers came face-to-face with policy makers to learn how to make their voices heard. In the “Dragon’s Den,” they pitched their ideas about food security to the panel and braced for blunt ...
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July 7, 2014
What Will It Take to Get Businesses Involved in African Landscape Initiatives?
Abby Waldorf
CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems
In 2009, businesses and farmers operating in Naivasha received a rude wake up call. Lake Naivasha almost dried up. In a basin that supports over 60% of Kenya’s flower industry, accounting for over 1% of the country’s GDP, policy makers and businesses were quick to respond. But will it always take a threat like this […] ...
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July 4, 2014
Scientists Demonstrate Tools for Integrated Landscape Management
Isaiah Esipisu
Scientists, policy experts, landscape and agroforestry experts at the Landscape for People, Food and Nature in Africa Conference had an opportunity to learn about more than 20 tools submitted by conference participants, which these experts say are extremely useful for Integrated Landscape Management. “Integrated Landscape Management involves different processes running all th ...
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July 4, 2014
Managing Landscapes in Africa: From ‘Evil Forests’ to a Half-Urban, Half-Rural People
Daisy Ouya
World Agroforestry Centre
Policy makers in Africa must think globally, regionally and locally for sustainable landscape management. Africa—a diverse, resource-rich yet food-insecure continent—urgently needs an integrated landscapes approach to policy-making in order to meet food security and development goals while protecting the natural resource base that makes it all possible. To feed and nourish ...
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July 3, 2014
Experts Discuss Strategies for Financing Integrated Landscape Investments in Africa
Isaiah Esipisu
Delegates at the ongoing Landscapes for People, Food and Nature Conference in Nairobi are creating action plans to enable mobilization of resources for integrated landscape management (ILM) in Africa. “This is a priority area, and the issue of finance is very critical for such development aspirations. And before we start planning for anything, we must […] ...
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July 2, 2014
Urbanization Poses Risks to Integrated Landscapes in Kenya
Isaiah Esipisu
Kenya is one of the leading countries in Africa to embrace the Integrated Landscape Approach, though experts attending the Landscapes for People, Food and Nature in Africa Conference say that urbanization and the quest for development is a real threat to this progress. “Urbanization is a major conflict for rural landscapes in Kenya, hence, there […] ...
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July 2, 2014
African Leaders Urged to Link Landscapes to the People
Isaiah Esipisu
Editor’s note: The Landscapes for People, Food and Nature in Africa Conference started July 1st, with a rousing opening session. This report by Isaiah Esipisu originally appeared on FoodTank.com. It captures the key issues and action orientation of the meeting. The “Landscapes for People, Food and Nature in Africa” conference has kicked off in Nairobi with major [&h ...
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June 30, 2014
Traveling to Integrated Landscapes in Kenya
Louis Wertz
EcoAgriculture Partners
A total traffic jam, par for the course at rush hour in Nairobi, has finally slowed the momentum of the Landscapes for People, Food and Nature in Africa conference field trip. I write this while we are barely crawling back into Nairobi during evening rush hour, and the reflections are fresh. We (50 participants from […] ...
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June 27, 2014
National Policy to Support Landscape Management in Africa
70% of poor people in sub-Saharan Africa live in rural areas, which forces nations in this region to place a heavy emphasis on rural policy. Policy goals include increased agricultural productivity and improved rural incomes, as well as prudent management of natural resources and climate resilience–necessary not only for the agricultural economy, but also for […] ...
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June 25, 2014
Financing Strategies for Integrated Landscape Investment: Innovative Successes from Africa
Elise Ursin
EcoAgriculture Partners
Seth Shames
Integrated Landscape Management (ILM) is increasingly becoming an important framework for addressing complex and interlinked agricultural and environmental issues and is garnering increased attention throughout Africa. It offers innovative strategies to promote agricultural production, improve rural livelihoods, and organize inter-sectoral planning. However, like so many other ...
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