Sub-Saharan Africa

DOI-ITAP's work in Sub-Saharan Africa has included protected area management, tourism development, natural resource conservation program development, rural community engagement in natural resources conservation, land cover mapping, and groundwater resource monitoring. A major focal area is wildlife trafficking, which threatens the security, economy, and biodiversity of East Africa.

To protect the region’s wildlife in line with the U.S. National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking, DOI-ITAP and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Regional East Africa Mission established the Partnership to End Wildlife Trafficking in East Africa.

In this region, DOI-ITAP technical assistance, at both regional and national levels, helps to strengthen:

• Counter wildlife trafficking and CITES
• Protected area management
• Public/private partnerships
• Community engagement, information sharing, and public awareness
• Wildlife law enforcement, investigation, and forensics
• Transboundary natural resource management

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA RECENT PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS:

Promoting Energy Security in Africa (Kenya)

DOI-ITAP is advancing African energy security by installing 600 biogas digester cookstoves across 20 community conservancies in northern Kenya. 

The biogas digesters, installed by DOI-ITAP partner Northern Rangelands Trust, turn animal waste, invasive vegetative matter, and other affordable biofuels into clean energy, reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality for local communities.  

This is especially important for women and girls, who are typically responsible for collecting firewood and cooking in poorly ventilated spaces. 

DOI-ITAP is proud to support Kenya’s clean energy transition in partnership with USAID Kenya and East Africa. For more information, check out our project factsheet: Biogas Digester Program Factsheet.

Engaging Youth to Reduce Marine Plastic Pollution (Kenya)

DOI-ITAP is helping to protect Kenya’s delicate, coastal ecosystems through the Mombasa Plastics Prize – a competition inspiring young innovators from Mombasa to take action to reduce and prevent harmful marine plastic pollution.

In collaboration with implementing partner Challenge Works, DOI-ITAP will provide 60 youth participants with professional skills training and organize several in-person events focused on helping them design creative plastic waste solutions. After several months of testing and development, the teams pitched their solutions to the panel of local experts.  

Thanks to support from USAID Kenya and East Africa, the top three teams will receive up to $30,000.00 in seed funding to help bring their ideas to life!

For more information, check out the USAID Mombasa Plastics Prize factsheet: Mombasa Plastics Prize Factsheet.

Learn more about phase two of the program, the Mombasa Plastics Prize Incubator, here: Mombasa Plastics Prize Incubator Factsheet.

 Western Indian Ocean Marine Biodiversity Assessments (Regional)

The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) is home to over 2,200 marine species, making it one of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems in the world.  

DOI-ITAP is helping to protect marine biodiversity in the Western Indian Ocean through a research partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society. This research partnership will help identify the region’s “biodiversity hotspots” and improve coordination between WIO policymakers. 

Check out this YouTube video to learn more about the project.

PREVIOUS PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS:

Supporting Regional Counter Wildlife Trafficking Organizations

DOI-ITAP supported USAID Kenya and East Africa's regional counter wildlife trafficking initiative working with countries throughout East Africa, with activities focused on building capacity in non-governmental organizations and government agencies to address wildlife crimes, convene partners to facilitate cooperation, support the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) implementation, and natural resources management.

• Primary Partner: USAID/Kenya and East Africa

Supporting Community Conservation in Kenya

DOI-ITAP supported multi-faceted engagements with government agencies and non-governmental institutions focused on biodiversity conservation, climate change planning, community outreach, anti-poaching support, and learning exchanges.

• Primary Partner: USAID/Kenya and East Africa

Tackling Illegal Wildlife Trade in Tanzania

DOI-ITAP helped combat wildlife crime and the illegal wildlife trade by building capacity of investigators and law enforcement officers, with emphasis on wildlife crime scene investigation, border inspections, and CITES implementation and enforcement.

• Primary Partner: USAID/Tanzania

Combating Wildlife Crime in Uganda

DOI-ITAP partnered with local NGOs and wildlife management authorities to combat wildlife crime with review of CITES implementation legislation, law enforcement training, and information sharing, including the NGO-led creation and distribution of sentencing guidelines for judges and magistrates.

• Primary Partner: USAID/Uganda

Inventorying Confiscated Ivory in Zambia

DOI-ITAP supported an inventory of Zambia’s stockpile of confiscated ivory in partnership with DOI's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and a local NGO. Subsequent work will focus on law enforcement cooperation, and promoting conservation, tourism, and game management in protected areas.

• Primary Partner: USAID/Zambia