The Kenya Wildlife Service has today highlighted wildlife contribution to the big four agenda.
The wildlife sector is indeed directly linked to the the Big Four Agenda through the food security and nutrition as well as the manufacturing sector.
The Kenya Wildlife Service manages protected areas by mitigating against the effects of climate change & soil erosion to increase food production. These include protecting marine resources & water catchment areas, micro-climate modulation
It also facilitates medical research on plants, marine and terrestrial animals to provide base for manufacturing pharmaceutical products. This includes extraction of venom from snakes by IPR.
The Kenya Wildlife Service also propagates resources material used in manufacturing industries among them aloe & cactus farming, crocodile & ostrich farming etc.They also encourage communities to use cheaper alternative building materials such as eco-posts
The corporation is also applying various technological features to overcome environmental challenges. Digital Radio systems have been put in place to enhance coordination and efficiency of wildlife security patrols and PAC GPS tracking
Additionally, this provides wide coverage extending to park areas not covered by any telecommunication (GSM) providers. Essential to ensure high quality and secure two-way communication for anti-poaching activities
KWS has also adapted a Marine Protected Area management strategy to ensure that our marine ecosystem remains ecologically and economically viable.
An important function of the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is to enhance biodiversity, and in particular, sustainable fisheries associated with the coral reef ecosystem. A healthy coral reef is an important breeding ground for fish.
Already, the improved coral reef ecosystem has improved fisheries mainly through enhanced biomass and a ‘spillover phenomenon’ associated with the movement of fish aseemblages from the MPAs and into the reserves.
BY KWS