Always been a fan of Tusk, and it is characteristic of their Founder Charlie Mayhew OBE to show nuance, good sense & willingness to engage on difficult issues. Wish more #conservation leaders & organisations would speak openly rather than support quietly dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1…

With poverty and livelihood pressures a known key driver of the massive deforestation and environmental degradation, keeping farm incomes low is suicidal for biodiversity loss and climate change goals. Increasing farm incomes is probably the most effective conservation strategy

Yet in a context where 85% of the population depends on agriculture for food and income security, suppressing farm incomes and locking 85% of the population in poverty is an own goal as it also works against well-meaning anti-poverty programs in other sectors.

Setting minimum prices for farm produce sends an adverse signal to the market to cluster prices around these low minimums. Keeping crop prices artificially low amounts to a subtle income transfer from poor smallholder farmers to rich urbanites and agro-dealers. Morally wrong!

One of many ivory contraband seizures; what does CITES & animal rights groups expect govts to do, burn it? As long as legal ivory supply remains artificially choked, prices will continue to shoot through the roof and attract the daredevils out there. Time for sanity to prevail!

#AICA is premised on the stark reality that Africa's IPLCs face similar challenges routed in colonial history for which collective agency & action is needed. #AICA must be vigilant to arcane academic definitions of IP&LCs that seek divide, weaken, and make Africa's IPLCs pliable

At the #AICA Maputo Strategy Workshop, Africa's IPLCs reaffirmed their commitment to move beyond lofty resolutions & Declarations to resolutely confront their conservation related challenges to end socio-economic marginalisation & rights abuses. Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa RRI - Rights and Resources Initiative

#AICA 's top priorities include secure land rights & tenure, unlocking the economic value of protected areas for IPLCs, finding lasting solutions to human-wildlife conflict, and sustainable & direct funding for IPLC organizations. Time to put people at the centre of conservation!

Africa's Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities are converging in Maputo this week for a Strategy meeting under the #AICA banner. Born of the IUCN Africa Protected Areas Congress in Kigali 2022, #AICA is a Pan-African IPLC Alliance that seeks to unify the IPLC voice for collective agency & action.

It's time for decisive action on HWC to give marginalised #localcommunities some dignity; amend neocolonial laws that deny them compensation, and re-engineer the conservation business model to deliver more benefits to #localcommunities at the household level. It's possible!

As the conservation community celebrates #InternationalWomensDay let's remember the widows & orphans found in that state as a result of human-wildlife conflict. HWC is not just a conservation issue; it's also a human rights, & equity issue. It dehumanises & worsens inequality

Pleased too not only with the APAD Conference Communique endorsing AICA as the authentic and legitimate voice of Africa's IPLCs, but also APAD's commitment to work with AICA on rights based conservation. Sustainable Actions For Nature Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa Jamma International Kaddu Sebunya RRI - Rights and Resources Initiative KAWICCODA CSO

'Getting a full-house of PA Directors for the dialogue with AICA and their seriousness about it all was not only humbling for me, but also a clear demonstration of their willingness to engage with IPLCs on conservation related issues. Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa Jamma International RRI - Rights and Resources Initiative

This #APAD Conference is unique and historic in the sense that it brings Africa's IPLCs and protected area directors under one roof to discuss shared #conservation challenges. It's an important first step in addressing many IPLC Conservation related challenges. RRI - Rights and Resources Initiative

Heading to the scenic #VictoriaFalls for the second #APAD Conference which will bring together Directors of #protectedareas from across #Africa . I'm really excited to represent #AICA , the Pan-African IPLC Alliance born out of IUCN Africa Protected Areas Congress. Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa RRI - Rights and Resources Initiative

Earlier this week the National CBNRM Forum hosted a SADC Secretariat delegation to explore opportunities for collaboration on the RINaWa project which focuses on natural resource management (NRM) and waste management. Truly exciting times! KAWICCODA CSO Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa Tilitonse Foundation

Malawi’s National CBNRM Forum just branded its offices in Lilongwe encapsulating its integrated approach to community based conservation. Sector integration is critical to integrated landscape management and indeed conservation itself Tilitonse Foundation Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa RRI - Rights and Resources Initiative

After over 30 years of CBNRM policy and practice in Southern Africa, it's surprising that poverty and social deprivation remain stubbornly pervasive in wildlife-rich rural areas where CBNRM is practiced. It's time to follow the money Resource Africa Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa Jamma International

On my way to Harare for a CBNRM M&E training. Measuring the impact of CBNRM on governance, livelihoods, and conservation is critical to its relevance as a conservation and poverty reduction strategy Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa National CBNRM Forum Jamma International KAWICCODA CSO Resource Africa

Heading to Arusha for a SADC project on NRM and waste management. With #localcommunities confronted by massive #deforestation and declining soil fertility & agriculture productivity, I hope we can trigger discussion around waste to manure & waste to energy innovative solutions.