Adapting to climate change: Innovative techniques in the smallholder aquaculture sector

Lions appear to have dispersed over 400km to Mpem-Djim National Park (MDNP), in the Centre Region of Cameroon, an almost miraculous natural reintroduction in a rainforest-savanna mosaic. Lions and people are both adapting, and several livestock depredation events have occurred and proved challenging. This project on saving the lions of the MDNP was achieved by combining surveys of the local population, information gathered by local authorities, calling stations and camera trap techniques. Sensitization has been done in the targeted villages, and the local communities have been capacitated in boma techniques using local material like dry straw, earth brick, and tarpaulin. Since the start of the project activities in the area, human lion conflicts have been reduced by about 65% and the local communities are increasingly becoming tolerant to the presence of lions in the area. A major lesson learnt is that the participative approach in project implementation remains the most effective approach. 

The AREECA project addresses severe encroachment and degradation in Mvai Forest Reserve, Malawi, to protect vital natural resources. A multi-stakeholder approach, initatiated by FAO and IUCN, was used to tackle encroachment drivers, including firewood collection, charcoal production, and farming expansion, which threaten Mvai’s ecosystem and the Mpira Dam’s water supply. Key interventions involved degradation mapping to assess impacted areas, the establishment of a Chief’s Forum to coordinate governance, the formulation of stricter by-laws with local enforcement, and demarcation of reserve boundaries with community input. Additionally, woodlot creation and alternative livelihoods such as banana, pineapple, livestock farming and bee keeping were introduced to reduce pressure on the forest. This collaborative approach, involving local chiefs, government bodies, and surrounding communities, has led to a reduction in encroachment and provided sustainable economic alternatives.

The Farasan Archipelago, a unique terrestrial, coastal, and marine ecosystem in the southern Red Sea, has faced significant conservation challenges due to habitat degradation, unsustainable resource use, and invasive species spread. The Farasan islands protected area is home to the endemic Farasani gazelle (Gazella arabica farasani), diverse marine life, and critical blue carbon ecosystems. The National Centre for Wildlife (NCW) of Saudi Arabia implemented a comprehensive conservation program to address these threats. This included a biannual biodiversity monitoring plan, habitat restoration efforts, invasive species management, fisheries regulation, and enhanced law enforcement. The program has led to measurable conservation successes, including the stabilization and gradual increase of the Farasani gazelle population, improved coral reef and seagrass health, and heightened public awareness of biodiversity protection. The reserve now stands as a model for integrated conservation and balanced ecological sustainability.

The project’s overall objective was to protect and conserve the Beisa Oryx in Nakuprat-Gotu Community Conservancy in Northern Kenya through community buy in and stewardship. This was to be achieved through enhanced conservancy governance, improved wildlife monitoring and anti-poaching patrols by rangers, running conservation awareness programs within the community settlement areas and schools, sustainable land management, and providing alternative income streams for charcoal sellers and subsistence poachers. This project is part of the IUCN Save Our Species African Wildlife initiative, co-funded by the European Union.

Challenges that were addressed:

Poaching of the Beisa Oryx 

Habitat destruction through the cutting of trees to produce charcoal 

The Beisa Oryx population increased from a baseline of 719 at the beginning of the project to 881 after one year during the project. This was majorly because the project provided alternative livelihood options for community members through vocational training skills which dissuaded them

Combatting invasive alien species (IAS) is an issue of global importance due to their severe negative impacts on ecological systems, the economy, public health, and public welfare. Türkiye’s unique geology, geography, and climate make it a hotspot for biodiversity, both on land and in the seas that border the country on three sides. However, this rich bounty of nature faces threats from 872 different invasive species that have intruded over past decades owing to the opening of the Suez Canal, the discharge of ballast waters from ships in transit, and the impacts of climate change. 

To help the country tackle this threat, the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks within the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye is implementing the “Addressing Invasive Alien Species Threats at Key Marine Biodiversity Areas” initiative in collaboration with the UNDP.  The initiative is supported by US$3.3 million in funding from the GEF. The project is implemented between 19 October 2018 and 19 April 2025.

The mangroves of Lamu and Tana account for over 65% (40,610 ha) of Kenya’s mangrove forests, which cover 61,271 ha. These critical ecosystems have been and are currently under threat mainly from logging for poles and fuelwood, infrastructural development, urbanisation, pollution and climate change impacts. Although well-intentioned, mangrove restoration efforts by government, civil society organisations, communities, and the private sector often focus solely on planting. This approach overlooks factors like water flow, nutrients, sediment dynamics, governance, and socio-economic conditions, all of which are essential for long-term mangrove health and successful ecosystem recovery.

To address this, Wetlands International partnered with Kenya Forest Service and Mangrove Action Project in 2022 to introduce Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) on Kenya’s coast. CBEMR considers the ecological, social, and political aspects of mangrove ecosystems, prioritising conservation and natural regeneration over planting.