Ecosystems are the most important components for both humanity and wildlife in the world as the key biodiversity areas are habitats for birds, diverse species of animals, and also providers of food. Ecosystems are known for possessing enabling conditions that see provisions like food, water, medicine, and raw materials thriving. Even though, the reports by scientific research indicate that these key biodiversity areas (KBA) are constantly facing challenges that are pushing them to extinction.
The unprecedented degradation of ecosystem health weakens livelihoods, food security, health, and quality of life worldwide, while also posing economic and financial risks. In Africa, the loss of natural capital will weaken the resilience of the most vulnerable human populations, significantly impacting economies and societies. The foundation of Kenya’s national economic wealth is driven primarily by agriculture and tourism solely depends heavily on the natural resources thus an urgency for their conservation.
Based on Kenya’s Key Biodiversity Areas – Status and Trends, 2022, these areas are constantly facing pressures that is threats facing the sites where as the conservation efforts in addressing the threats are recorded to be barely minimal.
The report revealed that out of the 2022 analysis of 56 out of 68 KBAs, the state of the ecosystems remains stable other than for increasing pressure that calls for urgency in response and intervention. The assessment just done since 2004 has shown an improvement recorded between 2021 and 2022 as responses are implemented toward addressing the threats.
“These findings underscore the ongoing challenges faced by Kenya’s natural habitats like forests, rivers, wetlands, and savannah and highlight the need for sustained efforts to mitigate threats and enhance conservation responses,” according to the report.
The report represents collaboration among Nature Kenya, Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Wildlife Service, National Museums of Kenya, Wildlife Research and Training Institute, National Environment Management Authority, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and BirdLife International.
Through the assessment, it was noted that these Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are threatened by diverse challenges like the proliferation of invasive plant species like Prosopis juliflora happening in Lake Baringo, Samburu, Tana River Delta, and Lantana Camara in Nairobi national park. Another major challenge is infrastructural development projects such as roads and power lines crossing sensitive ecosystems and buildings encroaching on natural habitats.
According to Kenya National Biodiversity Threat Assessment, promoting more sustainable and resilient economies has seen the adoption of the BIODEV2030 initiative. BIODEV2030 initiative aims to accelerate the mainstreaming of biodiversity into economic sectors which are key to biodiversity (BIO-) and development (-DEV), to ‘bend the curve’ of biodiversity decline.
