East Africa’s iconic Mount Kilimanjaro and its natural resources are of critical importance for people’s wellbeing and livelihoods. Credits: Mark A. Snethlage

By Catherine A. Masao, Graham W. Prescott, Mark A. Snethlage, Davnah Urbach, Amor Torre-Marin Rando, Rafael Molina-Venega, Neduvoto P. Mollel, Claudia Hemp, Andreas Hemp, Markus Fischer

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East Africa’s iconic Mount Kilimanjaro is in need of effective conservation measures that are just for local communities and account for their perspectives. To collect these perspectives, we organized a three-day workshop to which we invited 73 participants from five stakeholder groups – community members, resource users, conservationists, researchers, and ‘other’ (mostly tourism operators). With the help of the conceptual framework of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, we discussed how Nature (habitats and species) and Nature’s Contributions to People (the benefits and costs that people derive from Nature) have changed over the last 10 years. We also identified the factors driving these changes and explored possible actions for a sustainable future.


The majority of respondents recorded declines in most of Kilimanjaro’s ecosystems and species, and in the ability of Nature to support services that people depend on for their wellbeing, including water, food, and livelihoods. They also expected these declines to continue. Most participants agreed that an important factor causing these declines was land-use change, which population growth ultimately drives. These patterns held for most of Kilimanjaro’s habitats and elevation zones, from lowland savannah to its ice-capped peak.


To avert a decline in Nature and its ability to support human wellbeing, the participants highlighted integrated land-water management and improved education and awareness as essential actions to reverse these trends. The IPBES framework enabled the effective collection and comparison of nuanced information from a diverse group of participants. This is an important starting point for developing visions and shared strategies for a sustainable future to the region and encourages the use of this approach in future participatory consultations.

Tunawezaje kuhakikisha mifumo endelevu ya kiikolojia na kijamii katika mlima
kilimanjaro?

Mlima wa kipekee wa Kilimanjaro uliopo Afrika Mashariki unahitaji mbinu zenye ufanisi za uhifadhi ambazo ni mahususi na jumuishi kwa wanajamii husika na zinazozingatia maoni na mitazamo yao. Ili kuweza kukusanya taarifa yenye maoni na mitazamo ya wadau, tuliandaa warsha ya siku tatu ambapo walialikwa washiriki 73 ambao waligawanywa katika makundi matano ya wadau – wanajamii, watumiaji wa rasilimali, wahifadhi, watafiti, na ‘wengine’ (wengi wao wakiwa waongoza watalii). Kwa msaada wa mfumo wa dhana ya jukwaa la serasayansi miongoni mwa taasisi za serikali kwa ajili ya masuala ya bayoanuwai na huduma za mfumo wa ikolojia (IPBES), tulijadili namna ikolojia asili (viumbe na makazi yake) inavyochangia maisha ya wadau na madhara ambayo jamii hupata kwa kuwepo karibu na maeneo asilia (faida na gharama ambazo watu hupata kutoka kwa mazingira) na jinsi gani faida na hasara zimebadilika kwa kipindi cha miaka 10 iliyopita. Pia tuliweza kuainisha visabishi vya mabadiliko haya, na kupendekeza hatua endelevu za kukabiliana nayo. Wengi wa wahojiwa walionyesha kupungua kwa ufanisi wa mifumo ikolojia na viumbe hai wa mlima Kilimanjaro pamoja na uwezo wake wa kutoa huduma ambazo watu wanategemea kwa ustawi wao, ikiwa ni pamoja na maji, chakula, na mifumo ya maisha. Wahojiwa pia walionyesha kuwa, kushuka huku kwa ufanisi wa mfumo wa kiikolojia wa mlima Kilimanjaro kutaendelea.
Wengi wa washiriki wa warsha walikubali kuwa sababu kuu ya kushuka huku ni mabadiliko ya matumizi ya ardhi, ambayo kwa kiasi kikubwa yalichochewa na ongezeko la watu. Hali hii ilionekana kutokea eneo kubwa la mlima kuanzia chini kufuatia safu zake hadi kileleni kwenye barafu. Ili kuzuia kushuka kwa uwezo wa mifumo ya ikolojia kusaidia ustawi wa maisha ya watu, washiriki walipendekeza usimamizi jumuishi wa maji na ardhi pamoja na elimu na uhamasishaji kama hatua madhubuti zinazoweza kubadilisha hali iliyopo. Mfumo wa IPBES umewezesha ukusanyaji taarifa wenye ufanisi na unaoweza kulinganishwa na taarifa nyingine za kero za wadau mbalimbali. Huu ni mwanzo mzuri wa kuandaa maoni na mikakati jumuishi yenye mustakabali endelevu wa eneo, pia mfumo huu unapendekezwa kutumika katika mahojiano shirikishi ya baadaye.