Final Evaluation of the - UNEP

degradation and speed of regeneration. EMCs encourage sustainable use of vegetation and
community members are shown which tree parts can be cut for fencing material and where
they can graze. In the Turkana site, the combined use of EMCs, Chief’s Act (formal
legislative authority) and the traditional deferred grazing systems coupled with climatic
changes may have enhanced vegetation regeneration especially Acacia tortilis tree cover in
Lorugum, Tiya, Kaitese, and Juluk project sub-sites but quantitative data were not collected.
106. The importance of IV cannot be overstated in Turkana. The riverine forests (dominated
by A. tortilis and Doum palm {Hyphaene compressa}) are a vital nutritional source for
livestock: Acacia tortilis pods form an essential protein supplement in the dry season. Their
importance to the community is known but not the scientific basis: the nutritional constraint in
the dry season is lack of protein for the rumen flora to digest dry season cellulose. Pods and
fruit of A. tortilis are a rich supply of digestible crude protein without which livestock
mortality in the dry season would soar. If the communities understood the science behind the
tradition, the riverine forest would be more likely to be protected.
107. Doum Palm leaves are the source of the basket and mat weaving industry in the Kenyan
arid lands. Both IVP and KFS have played a role in promoting Doum Palm conservation by
training communities not to destroy them in when irrigation schemes are created. Marketing
of doum palm products could have been significantly enhanced and prices elevated for the
producers. The FE passed numerous empty trucks going from Lodwar to Kitale and south and
yet IVP did not take advantage and arrange cheap transport of this relatively light commodity.
108. The project made significant efforts to promote indigenous range management systems
in Marsabit and Turkana although mobilizing communities to manage the resources was more
successful in Marsabit than Turkana owing to the long history of EMCs in Marsabit as a result
of the MDP. The concept of EMCs was only introduced in Turkana by IVP and this will
therefore require a longer time to have a significant impact.
Outcome 3: Livelihood means that reduce pressure on the ecosystem adopted to diversify
economic base, increase socio-economic benefits and promote biodiversity conservation
109. In both districts the marketing of livestock and livestock products improved. In addition,
about 180 women group members in Marsabit and 24 community members in Turkana were
trained on goat and sheep skin improvement (wet salting) for value addition. This has
increased the value of the skins for example for Korr Tidadakhan women group in Marsabit
from Ksh. 20 to between Ksh. 60 and 70 in the local market and to over Ksh. 134 in the
Nairobi markets. Three groups in Korr (Umoja, Korrtidakhan and Ersin) have been trained on
microfinance, entrepreneurship skills and business management plans. According to the
chairlady of Kortidakhan group, this has increased group capacity and allowed them to
diversify into other business enterprises. Their group is registered and it has a bank account
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