Objective
ITCER e.V. and ITCER Kenya are non-profit, privately sponsored partner organisations in the tertiary education sector, focusing on scientific research, teaching and outreach in an international training centre in Siaya County in Western Kenya (see Location)
Background
East Africa’s natural ecosystems are rapidly degrading due to unsustainable exploitation and mismanagement resulting from an unprecedented human population increase combined and land use practices that are not sufficiently adapted to the adverse effects of climate change. Identifying solutions to the environmental problems requires a new class of managers and practical skills that enable timely identification and assessment of current and emerging indicators of unsustainable land use practices, which lead to land degradation.
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Kenya has biological and physical resources that are of considerable domestic, international, economic and intrinsic value. It is estimated that the country has 35,000 known species of animals, plants and microorganisms. This wealth is fundamental to Kenya’s prosperity in many ways for example as a source of employment and foreign exchange earnings. Life and economy are based on natural resources such as water, rocks and soils. These and their ecosystems are increasingly under pressure from unsustainable use resulting in erosion, pollution, and depletion. Biological resources, which are sources of medicine, food, income, shelter and fuel, are only assured if sustainably used. The level of institutional awareness is encouraging. There is therefore need to educate and raise awareness of the general public of these matters. To meet the challenges and requirements of protection, conservation, and management of biodiversity, whilst containing and preventing the loss of biodiversity, the government is already addressing itself to specific management policies and measures, enforce current laws and biodiversity, formulate land use plans/ tenures and develop systems for rehabilitation and restoration. Climate change, combined and reduced resilience (amongst other things) exacerbates the already existing challenges and increases pressure on mountain people and ecosystems in Kenya and it’s neighbouring countries. Climate change further leads to flooding, droughts and soil erosion. Hence, there is need to mitigate climate change effect by promoting grass-root actions to build community resilience.
Organizational Structure
ITCER is a regional organisation, registered in Germany (e.V.) and Kenya as an international NGO. Both, ITCER Kenya and ITCER e.V. has a Board of Directors comprised of elected Board members. These Board members include representatives from Kenya and other international experts from different countries. ... more
Within the two Boards of Directors, a Management Committee is responsible for overseeing and reviewing ITCER progress. The Management Committees are comprised of the Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary to the Board. In terms of staff capacity, both associations of ITCER together have a team of 20 professional staff headed by the Executive Director.
Members and Memberships
The members of ITCER Kenya and ITCER e.V. have so far been recruited mainly from members of Egerton University, University of Eldoret, JOUUST, and Maseno University (Kenya), of University of Bamenda (Cameroon), furthermore of University of Bayreuth, University of Hohenheim, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, and Hochschule Karlsruhe (Germany), as well as of institutions dedicated to environmental diagnostics, environmental protection, and public relations (BIO-Diverse, SNSB IT Center, Stiftung Pfennigparade (all Germany) and others).
Cooperation agreements and local universities on the basis of MOUs will be listed here.
Donors and funders to date include the University of Bayreuth, University of Hohenheim, University of Tübingen, the SES, and the AGYO.
ITCER e.V. and ITCER Kenya themselves will become partners and members in other organisations, which will be listed here.
Kenyan governmental support: County Government of Siaya, Kenya Forest Service, KEPHIS, NEMA, NGO Coordination Board Office.
ITCER’s Role
To offer high quality, use case-based training in environmental sciences for postgraduate students (MSc and PhD level), scientists, and members of various stakeholder groups from Kenya and neighbouring countries. ... more
To …
- act as an outreach centre for concepts and materials to implement up-to-date environmental knowledge in tertiary institutions as well as to inform key actors and the local community in Kenya and its neighbour countries
- improve the long-term conservation and sustainable use of natural resources
- promote community development through resource self-sufficiency
- carry out sustainable agriculture planning and development activities within the community
- sustainably cultivate indigenous mushroom species and sensitize communities on tree and mushroom conservation, mushroom identification and uses
- encourage group farming especially in food crop production, animal husbandry and fish farming and other self-help activities
- work in close collaboration and related organizations, village development committees and other NGOs
- enhance capacity building of its members by organizing and attending training workshops and conferences
- carry out scientific research in related fields to improve production skills and facilities
Environmental Science Research and Training
- Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: integrate sustainable management of natural to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services for community livelihoods and human well-being.
- Climate Change: facilitate regional mechanisms for assessing and addressing the impacts of climate change and promote grass-root actions to build community resilience.
- Sustainable Agriculture: work with communities to promote sustainable agriculture.
Strategic approaches
- Engaging strategic partnerships and leading players ... more
and facilitate regional collaboration and networking for better environmental, climate and conservation action as well as community empowerment
- Development of a regional reference centre ... more
for information on environmental, climate change, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development
- Partnering and empowering grass-roots community-based groups ... more
and working on responsible industries and companies to promote corporate social and environmental responsibility
Actions
Many higher education curricula focus more on theoretical aspect and have a gap in teaching of practical skills in newest methods. ITCER will fill this gap ... more
by providing relevant training units that combine theoretical and practical expertise and skills for field sampling, ecological modeling, detection, quantification, sequencing and analysis of environmental variables critical for sustainable ecosystem management. ITCER will launch a locally and internationally accredited training programme and courses designed to address current and future environmental and ecological challenges of the region, such as Biodiversity: Sustainable Use and Conservation; Water Quality and Soil Management; Climate Change and its Consequences; Landscape and Hydroscape Restoration; Human Health and Ecosystem Services; Pollution and Remediation; Environmental Data Management; and many more. In general, the addressed topics are defined around the Sustainable Development Goals and the regional government agenda, including Africa 2063.
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In a nutshell:
- ITCER facilitates networking of local, national and international players to enhance sustainable development through information and experience sharing.
- ITCER empowers it’s network through policy dialogue, capacity building and policy engagement when implementing it’s work. ITCER works with all kinds of organizations including NGOs/CBOs, academic institutions, governments, industries, companies and business.
- ITCER’s activities and the ground take an integrated landscape approach focusing mainly and environmental science research and training, protecting biodiversity and enhancing ecosystem services, mitigating impact of climate change, and building shared vision among stakeholders to address threats.
