Abstract:
The world is going through turbulent times due to climate change. The problem is
compounded by increasing population in developing countries, exerting pressure on
land due to needs for food, water, energy, and pasture, leading to forest degradation
and carbon emission. The continued degradation of forests dims the future prospects
of sustainable use of forest to achieve human needs notably, local communities and
indigenous populations need to take more active roles in preservation of the forests.
There has been ironically inadequate participation of indigenous and civil society
groups in the REDD+ activities in Africa; making international bodies and
organizations the major (and in some instances, the only) actors, thus reducing
REDD+ processes to be ‘expatriate’ and ‘foreign knowledge’ based (p. 30). One
wonders why indigenous knowledge and education has not been sought. The aim of
this project is to find out, and support Mount Kenya communities to use indigenous
knowledge and education to influence and shape preservation and implementation
in the forest and land-use sector through the following specific objectives are
'research on indigenous knowledge of the Mount Kenya communities and
indigenous peoples; strengthening available indigenous knowledge and education
framework of the Mount Kenya communities and indigenous peoples through
capacity building, encouragement and financial support. The study involved
research on indigenous knowledge and education that support environmental
management around Mount Kenya, and specifically Kirinyaga County. Both
qualitative and quantitative methods were used to get primary data; documentary
study was used to get secondary information. Results showed. Knowledge of justice
systems related to environment; knowledge of forest benefits of species; and
sacralization of objects and places; which have been instrumental in forest
conservation around Mt Kenya. The study recommends that key stakeholders and
local institutions should find ways of adopting and disseminating beneficial
indigenous through education and advocacy.
