MACOFA started in 2000 when Forest Action Network (FAN) invited Mau stakeholders to a workshop that discussed the need for a fact-finding trip of Mau Forest Complex. Initially FAN visited Community Food and Environment Group (COFEG) and discussed working modalities where COFEG was to be mobilizing other CBOs that are in environment and natural resource management for workshops and exposures that are necessary to enhance conservation of Mau Complex.
Mission:
to restore and sustain biological, aesthetic, economic and cultural values of the Mau Forest Complex and improve community livelihoods
Vision
to have a forest ecosystem that sustains economic, ecological and social needs of Mau Community in Kenya and the watershed as a whole.
Objectives:
Facilitate communities co-manage forests with the government and share benefits
Empower communities to conserve biodiversity through contemporary and indigenous knowledge and laws
Build community capacity to participate in forest governance and restore forest cover
Engage communities in legal and forest governance literacy
Monitoring implementation of laws
Promote domestication of herbs and high value trees
Networking and synergy building
Conducting environmental education and awareness
Promote and mainstream gender issues
Alleviate poverty through livelihoods improvement initiatives
Core values
Participation and involvement in decision and development actions
Proactive and self determination in order to unlock individual and collective potential
Community and self empowerment to enable active participation
Volunteerism in community service to facilitate achievement of community aspirations
Accountability, transparency and integrity in all dealings, operations and actions
Passion for ecological conservation
Gender Equity for posterity
Activities/Main areas of work:
MACOFA main programmes in a nutshell are:
Community Empowerment Programme: involves developing strategies to address issues of forest access and management through: literacy on existing legislations and opportunities, capacity building on Participatory Forest Management and formation of Community Forest Associations (CFAs), gender mainstreaming in resource management including women and youth advancement and conflict management/peace building to enhance coexistence and resource management.
Biodiversity Conservation and Management Programme for intergenerational knowledge transfer of indigenous knowledge. MACOFA’s biodiversity conservation strategies are: community ecological governance and domestication of herbs and high value tree species.
Food and Livelihood Security Programme: this is a new initiative meant to ensure food and livelihood security for community members as a means of eliminating poverty and reducing pressure on forests and natural resources. Strategies include: conducting training on organic farming practices and growing of indigenous food crops for food security at the household level; indigenous seed conservation and natural products development and marketing (e.g. stinging nettle).
Income Generating Activities: in order to meet their basic livelihood needs MACOFA members are being facilitated to start IGAs like beekeeping, fish farming, silkworm farming, dairy goat rearing etc. A micro finance component is being developed to support the IGAs.
Environmental Stewardship and Forest Restoration Programme through: environmental education and awareness; reafforestation and afforestation, community trees farming scheme and; monitoring implementation of laws.
Networking and Synergy Building: MACOFA seeks to work closely with other stakeholders in environment, forest and natural resource management. It therefore finds networking as critical in facilitating information, experience and knowledge sharing among stakeholders.
Lobbying and Advocacy: to champion or raise concerns/petitions on pertinent issues at national and international level MACOFA engages in lobbying and advocacy. Networking also allows creation of formidable force and voice among like minded Institutions, organizations and departments
Coverage:
Kenya, Mau Forest Complex
Beneficiaries:
Community based organisations in Mau complex with interest in natural resource and forest management, comprising of pastoralists, wood gatherers, pasture collectors, herbs collectors, peasant farmers, water users, others targeting to access forest products and services.
Membership/Affiliations
− African Biodiversity Network (ABN)
− National Alliance for Community Forest Association (NACOFA)
