INTEGRATED COMMUNITY AND PARTICIPATORY GIS IN MANAGEMENT OF YALA WETLAND ECOSYSTEM, LAKE VICTORIA BASIN, KENYA

Abstract

Wetlands are one of the world’s most important environmental assets which provide homes for large, diverse biota as well as economic, social and cultural benefits. Optimal use of these benefits requires good planning and meaningful participation of riparian communities in their management. Yala Wetland ecosystem, located at the confluence of Yala and Nzoia rivers where they discharge into Lake Victoria in Siaya and Busia counties, is a valuable resource that directly benefits over 180,000 persons and covers approximately 20,276 hectares. Empirical evidence show accelerated Yala wetland ecosystem degradation with dismal community participation its management. Further, the dynamics of effective and meaningful community participation are not clearly understood despite wetland’s continued loss in size and value. This research aimed at developing a framework to optimize community participation in the ongoing Yala LUP, which was using the Yala Public Advisory Committee (YPAC) as the principal route for public participation. Being a multidisciplinary research, the study used case study design that employed exploratory action research with both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis, remote sensing and GIS analysis to determine land cover/landuse changes, and a Spectrum of Public Participation and World Bank 10 indicators to analyze the extent and effectiveness of community participation of the existing YPAC framework. The feedback was used to design an improved framework for optimizing community participation. A total of 410 respondents from 60 community organizations engaged in wetland conservation provided information through focus group discussions, 34 key informant interviews provided historical, contextual and indigenous ecological knowledge and 187 students from 18 schools provided wetland status and envisioned future through essays, debates and artworks. The Spectrum Model revealed community participation in SEA/LUP processes was at Inform (17%) and Consult (83%) levels while the 10 indicators of effectiveness revealed that YPAC framework was poor (20%) and unsatisfactory (80) and thus not meaningful and effective. Consequently, an improved Community Participation Framework (Yala RAPPEF-CF-IR-Hub Framework) was developed and tested to improve community participation, occasioning significant improvements in LUP (Consult 80% and Collaborate 20%) and designed in participatory manner an equitable benefit sharing mechanism of wetland resources. The Yala Hub Framework was further incorporated in Siaya County Integrated Development Planning 2018-2022 (CIDP), where it also occasioned a significant improvement (creation of a public participation directorate). It was also used in preparation of Yala Wetland Indigenous Community Conservation Areas Management (ICCA) Plan to implement LUP recommendations where wetland communities have so far planted 100 ha papyrus to restore degraded wetland areas. The study concludes that effective community participation determines and influences effective implementation of decisions made; and that increased participation will eventually increase the effectiveness of community development. The Yala Hub Framework is a tool that significantly improves local community participation in managing their wetland resources. The study recommends strengthening of Yala Swamp Management Committee governance; adoption of equitable benefit sharing mechanisms of wetland resources; and systematic documentation and preservation of Yala Wetland local communities’ knowledge systems and integrating it with remotely sensed data to monitor Yala land use/landcover changes. The need for recognition and valuing of Community Facilitator (CF) and Information Resources Hub (IR-Hub); strengthening Yala Wetland Information System starting with IR-Hub sub-component; and deploying Yala Hub Framework in future LUP processes in other wetlands with similar challenges as Yala Wetland should be implemented.