The African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) was hosting an international conference on Natural Resource Management and Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa 15-17 September 2008 in Nairobi. EfD Kenya was assisting to organize the workshop.
Through a series of commissioned papers and discussion, the conference brought together a solid body of policy-relevant information on these urgent global issues. The conference gathered about 300 participants comprising academics, policy makers, politicians and government officials from all over the world. – While policy agenda for natural resource management may have gained attention, the effects of climate change have raised new challenges. Although everyone on earth may be affected by changes in climate, sub Saharan Africa is most vulnerable, says Dr Wilfred Nyangena, Coordinator of the EfD center in Kenya. Nyangena notes that the increasing complexity of the development challenge including multiple linkages to climate change, natural resource management, food security, and energy security has been brought to the fore by the ongoing food price crisis.
– Implications of a combination of all these and other factors for poor people need to be better understood and addressed on a country-by-country basis, says Nyangena.
Role of EfD Kenya at the conference
AERC was hosting the conference to mark its 20th anniversary of capacity building in sub Saharan Africa. EfD Kenya was contacted by the AERC to assist with setting the agenda by providing a broad write-up for the call for papers on issues involved in Natural Resource Management and Climate Change and their relevance for Africa. In particular the EfD researchers were asked to link these issues to the current thematic groups within AERC research namely: Group A: Poverty, Income Distribution and Labour Market Issues; Group B: Trade, Regional Integration and Sectoral Policies Group C: Macroeconomic Policies, Stabilization and Growth and Group D: Finance, Resource Mobilization and Investment. The second task involved screening papers received following the call for papers.
Participation by EfD centers
EfD in South Africa/EPRU presented three highly relevant research papers in renewable energy and adaptation to climate change. EfD Ethiopia/EEPFE was well represented by EEPFE associates, Fitsum Hagos and Yonas Alem. From EfD Tanzania Adolf Mkenda and other associates attended. Paul Maina of EfD Kenya presented joint work with Wilfred Nyangena and others on forestry management in Kenya. Read more about the conference (link to the website of African Economic Research Consortium)Read a report (pdf) on EfD involvement by Dr Wilfred Nyangena, Coordinator of the EfD center in Kenya.
