A total of 3700 semi-circular bunds were established in an area of 115 acres at Lekurruki and Il Ngwesi conservancies. 30 casuals, selected members of the grazing committees from both conservancies, and 4 rangeland supervisors were trained by a team from Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust (MWCT) to spearhead the reseeding process of the micro catchments.
The types of grass that have been used to reseed the micro catchments are:
- Cenchrus Cilliaris – Buffel grass
- Enteropogon Macrostachycus – Bush rye grass
- Eragrostis Superba – a tufted perennial grass
Four micro-catchment monitors have been deployed by both conservancies to conduct daily examination and repair of the semi-circular bunds, and also to protect the soil bunds from being destroyed by grazing animals.
Some of the challenges facing the micro catchments establishment include prolonged drought encroachment from neighboring pastoralist communities.
Site demarcation for two additional demonstration sites in Makurian and Kuri Kuri have been done by teams from both the community lands and ILMAMUSI CFA.
Community awareness meetings to both Kuri Kuri and Makurian community lands have been conducted. Training of the micro-catchment fundis and grazing committees is planned activity closer to the onset of November rains.
This is the start of a big push for unified and extensive rangeland rehabilitation that can only happen if these demonstration sites are protected as part of sound rangeland management on each of these community lands. All these rehabilitation efforts will be for not if we don’t restrict access and grazing by local livestock, and work to prevent the incursion on these lands from outside our lands.
We have to thank GEF6/FAO, The Restoration Initiative, for their financial support, and again appreciate the support of the Forum in helping to set the precedent for these additional efforts.
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