About Us
The Strathmore Natural Capital Hub (SNCH) is a pioneering transdisciplinary synthesis center dedicated to advancing knowledge and experiential learning in natural capital. In an era where global challenges demand extraordinary leadership, SNCH is at the forefront, guiding governments, businesses, and citizens to recognize and integrate the essential value of our planet’s natural capital in their decision-making processes.
Our mission is closely aligned with the three Rio Conventions of the United Nations: Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Desertification and Land Degradation. By fostering a deep understanding of these critical areas, SNCH aims to drive sustainable practices that ensure the preservation and enhancement of natural resources for future generations. We believe that by embedding the principles of natural capital into all sectors of society, we can create a more resilient and sustainable world.
Vision
To be a global leader in fostering sustainable development by integrating natural capital into decision-making across governments, businesses, and communities, ensuring the preservation and enhancement of our planet’s resources for future generations.
Mission
Developing ethical, sustainable and fair use of natural capital.
Research
SNCH Research and Real-world Activities are aimed to equip and support national policy makers, local government, business communities with the skills to address opportunities and challenges emerging in global carbon markets, implement nature-based solutions and deliver conservation across Africa.
Project Title: TEEB True Value Accounting
Implementing Agencies: UNEP
Summary: SNCH is implementing the “True Value Accounting: Making the Economic Case for Food Systems Transformation in Kenya” project which aims to establish the economic case for transforming food systems in Kenya so that they are more resilient to climate change and can enhance environmental sustainability as well as improve human well-being. This project is a follow-up to the initial work in the Mau Forest Complex, which looked at scenarios to develop an integrated valuation, using non-market and market approaches, of the ecological basis of the agri-food systems along different value chains- making nature’s value visible.
Kenya’s water towers, including Mau Forest complex, Cherangani and Loita Hills provide essential ecosystem services to communities. However, these areas are faced with unprecedented challenges of drastic forest cover loss driven by rising human population and expansion of agricultural land to forest areas. This has limited their capacity to provide essential ecosystem services resulting in loss of biodiversity, reduced agricultural production and vulnerability in livelihoods. Government, NGOs, and the private sector have dedicated efforts into reversing these trends through policy processes and operations on the ground. A challenge however persists where the true value of the natural capital of these ecosystems is invisible and the impacts of the impacts of poor land use practices are unaccounted for. This means that the role of nature in delivering food security, biodiversity support, climate regulation, carbon sequestration cycles and other ecosystem services is not properly valued.
In this project, SNCH will be working with communities and stakeholders, using co-design and co-production processes to accurately capture data and generate evidence on the drivers of change in Kenya’s agri-food sector, develop scenarios of potential futures and create pathways to transform the food system to become more resilient to climate and socioeconomic shocks.
Project Title 2: Integrated Ecosystem Focused policy Framework for Kenya Consultant
Implementing agencies : UNEP
Founder: The Nature of Conservancies
Summary; Kenya has made significant progress in conserving its natural resources, yet conflicting policies and sectoral laws have led to complex and fragmented management approaches. This has resulted in overlapping mandates, resource constraints, and potential for corruption. In response, ecosystem-based resource management has gained popularity, emphasising integrated approaches and a holistic view of conservation. However, there remains a need to draw from established practices, such as community-based natural resource management (CBNRM), to better inform current policies and decision-makers.
Initially, ecosystem-based management in the 1970s and 1980s was promoted as an alternative to traditional conservation methods that separated people from natural resources through measures like national parks and fenced areas. While this raised global awareness about environmental issues, it also caused social injustices for indigenous communities who had sustainably managed these resources for generations. Alongside an increasing demand for resources and evolving human rights laws, there has been growing recognition of the historical ties between people and ecosystems, as well as the value of indigenous management skills.
Under Executive Order No. 2 of 2023 and a Presidential Directive from July 2023, Kenya has introduced the Integrated Ecosystem-Based Natural Resource Conservation Policy (IENRCP). This policy places local communities at the heart of conservation efforts, prioritising key ecosystems that support Kenya’s biodiversity and critical natural resources. By focusing on these vital areas, IENRCP represents a shift towards community-led resource management that incorporates indigenous knowledge to enhance sustainability and conservation effectiveness, benefiting both Kenya’s people and its wildlife.
Project Title 3: Citizen-Generated and Inclusive Data Scoping and Exploring the opportunity to institutionalise the use of citizen-generated and inclusive data to prevent and respond to environmentally-sensitive infectious disease across Africa, Asia and Latin America
Summary: SNCH is Conducting a comprehensive scoping analysis to evaluate the impact, effectiveness, and potential for utilising citizen-generated data (CGD) to prevent and respond to environmentally sensitive infectious diseases (ESIDs) in selected countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The focal countries for this study include three African countries (Kenya, Ghana, and Malawi), two Latin American countries (Dominican Republic and Colombia), and one Asian country (Vietnam). These countries were chosen due to the significant impact of ESIDs on their communities and their preparedness for implementing CGD.
Implementing Agencies: Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data
- Master classes in natural capital markets (carbon markets, biodiversity markets, and sustainable development.
- Micro accreditation for Citizen Science for communities and local researchers
- Digital media, innovation and entrepreneurship capacity-building to inform continent wide conversations and decision making with regards to Africa’s participation in natural capital markets
TEEB AgriFood Kenya True Value of Food
SNCH is implementing the “True Value Accounting: Making the Economic Case for Food Systems Transformation in Kenya” project which aims to establish the economic case for transforming food systems in Kenya so that they are more resilient to climate change and can enhance environmental sustainability as well as improve human well-being. This project is a follow-up to the initial work in the Mau Forest Complex, which looked at scenarios to develop an integrated valuation, using non-market and market approaches, of the ecological basis of the agrifood systems along different value chains- making nature’s value visible.
Kenya’s water towers, including Mau Forest complex, Cherangani and Loita Hills provide essential ecosystem services to communities. However, these areas are faced with unprecedented challenges of drastic forest cover loss driven by rising human population and expansion of agricultural land to forest areas. This has limited their capacity to provide essential ecosystem services resulting in loss of biodiversity, reduced agricultural production and vulnerability in livelihoods. Government, NGOs, and the private sector have dedicated efforts into reversing these trends through policy processes and operations on the ground. A challenge however persists where the true value of the natural capital of these ecosystems is invisible and the impacts of the impacts of poor land use practices are unaccounted for. This means that the role of nature in delivering food security, biodiversity support climate regulation, carbon sequestration cycles and other ecosystem services is not properly valued.
In this project, SNCH will be working with communities and stakeholders, using co-design and co-production processes to accurately capture data and generate evidence on the drivers of change in Kenya’s agrifood sector, develop scenarios of potential futures and create pathways to transform the food system to become more resilient to climate and socioeconomic shocks.
Key Partners
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