Partnerships with the private sector potentially offer a new entry point for achieving sustainable and inclusive growth in the water and development sector. A training on Sustainable landscape management by private sector engagement was therefore organized from 16-21 July 2017 in Elementaita, Kenya.
This was a tailor-made programme for Wetlands’ employees, for which local implementation partners were also invited: Centre for Social Planning and Administrative Development (CESPAD), Laikipia Wildlife Forum (LWF), Merti Integrated Development Programme (MID-P) and IMPACT. The training was conducted by CREM and Conservation Consultancy Steven de Bie (Netherlands-based research and training firms), and a local trainer Simon Thuo. This training which was supported by the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NUFFIC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aimed at enhancing and equipping the engagement with the private sector.
To fully comprehend the private sector dynamics and its concerns, development and incentives in relation with environmental sustainability, the training provided a platform for different speakers drawn from the private-public sector and other INGOs to share their experiences on engaging the private sector, entry points, challenges, innovative finances, business risk, opportunities, achievements, etc. The training furthermore provided the participants with an understanding of the full value of natural capital resources and ecosystems to the private sector using ecosystem services concepts and economic valuation, with specific attention for water and wetlands as the priority environmental themes of Wetlands International.
The participants also got the opportunity to visit Van der Berg roses, which is a Dutch flower farm located in Naivasha, for a practical session, to interact and engage with them on various issues amongst which environmental conservation initiatives. Speaking an engineer in the farm, he said they have a key focus on cultivating quality cut flowers for customers around the world using sustainable farming practices that value environmental conservation, health and safety of its workers, and social development of the communities around them. The participants were especially interested in the company’s water management, given its water withdrawal from and discharge to Lake Naivasha.
Lastly, the training provided practical support for the development of a private sector engagement strategy that participants are to implement in their work .The inter-connection between the private sector and natural resources acts as a bridge in addressing existing gaps. Natural resources are indispensable for private sector development, while this development at the same time can contribute to due management of the resources. Most companies are aware of the natural capital resources and the need for conservation, however, they can be skeptical on engaging with INGOs. Key question that needs to be answered to interest them for a partnership: what is the joint business case?
