Kilifi: Journalists, conservationists, fishers, and blue economy stakeholders gathered at Vipingo Ridge in Kilifi County for the Second Annual Environmental Media Dialogue, calling for more accurate and community-centered reporting on ocean conservation in Kenya’s coastal region. The forum, organized by Media for Nature in partnership with Blue Radio, brought together stakeholders from across the maritime sector to address gaps in environmental journalism and highlight grassroots conservation efforts that largely go unreported.
According to Kenya News Agency, the dialogue was anchored on a clear theme of reporting ocean issues through the eyes of the community. Mazera Thomas Ndurya, co-founder of Media for Nature, emphasized the importance of preserving indigenous knowledge. ‘Communities hold a wealth of indigenous knowledge that is not found in any book or archive. If journalists do not record and preserve it, the generations that come will not know what was happening. That responsibility lies with us,’ Ndurya said. She highlighted the need for journalists to bridge the gap between traditional ecological knowledge and public awareness, citing a recent engagement with elders on the subject of dugongs.
Maureen Mudi, Coast Regional Coordinator of the Media Council of Kenya, supported this call, noting that environmental stories are often sidelined in newsrooms due to a lack of specialized knowledge among reporters. ‘We regularly train journalists and partner with sector stakeholders to ensure that when they report on the environment, their stories are accurate. A media house that partners with conservation actors is doing something important for this country,’ Mudi said.
The dialogue also showcased the Blue Peace Programme, a partnership between TechnoServe and the MasterCard Foundation targeting economic transformation along the coast. Immaculate Muthoni, the programme’s Communications Advisor, reported that the initiative has trained 13,683 young women and men across the five coastal counties of Kilifi, Mombasa, Lamu, Tana River, and Kwale. ’70 per cent of our participants are women; we are building enterprises in fisheries, aquaculture, mariculture, beekeeping, and coconut farming. This will reduce pressure on ocean resources rather than exploit them,’ Muthoni explained.
Mariam Chitsaka Jabali, Chairperson of the Kuruwitu Conservation and Welfare, appealed for formal recognition of Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) doing frontline marine conservation work. ‘We are the ones protecting the shoreline, building coral reefs, and restoring life to the sea, yet the government bypasses us and goes directly to the Beach Management Units (BMUs). Our work must be recognised,’ she asserted.
Charles Nyale, President of the West Indian Ocean LLMA Alliance and Kilifi BMU Chairperson, called for structured collaboration between BMUs and CBOs to prevent jurisdictional confusion that undermines conservation efforts. Rashid Matano Bemaronda, founder of the Kuruwitu Conservation and Welfare Association, highlighted the community’s journey from receiving seed funding from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to global recognition through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Equator Initiative, proving that ordinary people could achieve extraordinary outcomes.
Source: Kenya News Agency
