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LIFT NETWORK

The inception of LIFT (Local and Indigenous Food Systems Transformation) Network can be
traced back to the Game changers Lab in 2021, where a diverse group of organisations from
Nigeria, Brazil, Kenya, Canada, and Fiji converged with a shared vision. United by a
commitment to strengthen Indigenous and local food systems, these organisations embarked on
a collaborative journey that transcended geographical boundaries.

Vision:
We envision a world where Indigenous and local communities thrive through resilient, regenerative, and culturally rich food systems. Our vision is grounded in the belief that sustainable, equitable, and locally
rooted approaches to food production are fundamental to the well-being of communities and the
planet.

Mission:
Our mission is to strengthen and amplify Indigenous and local food systems by fostering
collaboration, innovation, and knowledge exchange. We are committed to building a global
network that empowers communities to preserve their cultural heritage, promote sustainable
practices, and secure a nourishing future for generations to come.

Oceans Alive Program: Transforming Indigenous Food Systems for Traditional Fishing Communities in Kenya

Addressing Food Insecurity and Environmental Degradation in Coastal Kilifi County, Kenya:

The state of nutrition affairs

Coastal fishing communities in Kilifi County face a challenge of food insecurity and malnutrition:

73% poverty rate
67% of households are food insecurity,
55% of children under 5 years old are malnourished.
36% of children have stunted growth
39% of women do not meet their daily nutrition needs

The absence of leafy greens in diets is a key driver of high rates of malnutrition, particularly among children under the age of five. Malnutrition not only affects physical health but also cognitive development, which can have long-term consequences.

The cause of low vegetable consumption

Root causes of low vegetable consumption in Coastal Kilifi are due to inadequate production of sufficient leafy greens for balanced household nutrition because of :

Harsh, drought-prone, and arid climate
Compounded by shallow, nutrient-poor coral scrag soils,
Due to high settlement rate households have limited land for crops
Vegetable consumption is 20-25% below WHO standards

The causes of low fish consumption

Fish consumption has declined in recent years due to:

High population demand competing for limited supply
Too many fishers causing overfishing in the intertidal zones,
Unregulated illegal fishing practices damaging fish stocks and coral reefs
Inadequate fisheries protection capacity
Climate induced coral bleaching reducing traditional fisheries by 75%

Oceans Alive Solution Labs

Oceans Alive Solution Labs are dedicated to tackling the fundamental issues of food insecurity. Our approach centers on fostering sustainable and regenerative practices within the realms of fishing and agriculture. By doing so, we aim to not only bolster income generation but also enhance accessibility to nutritious food.

In addition to championing transformative practices, Oceans Alive Solution Labs actively empowers communities through micro grants. These grants serve as catalysts, nurturing the groundwork for communities to evolve into dynamic solution hubs. Our overarching goal is to facilitate long-term impact and community development, with a focus on empowering communities to drive positive change.”

SOLUTION LAB 1

Enhancing fish production through Traditional Marine Community Conservation Systems “Tengefu”

Tengefu – is the traditional historical name in Kiswahili for a community protected closed area.

Originally established under Village Elder Law as an indigenous system for enhancing fisheries production. An area within the marine environment set aside to recover due to degradation due to unsustainable fishing practices and the destruction of the coral cover. Degraded marine environments are often characterised by reduced fish catch and unbalanced ecosystems.

Our Approach to Tengefu:

Solution toolkits capturing evolution of 3 indigenous Tengefu
Outreach Strategy
- Build beach management units (BMU) capacity to manage Tengefu
- Support BMU to develop co-management area Plan (CMA)
- Include closed areas (Tengefu) in CMA Plan as:
  1. No take zones for biodiversity protection for ecotourism
  2. No take zones for turtle nesting
  3. Protected breeding zones to recharge fishery from spill-over
  4. Semi-protected areas for coral gardening
  5. Seasonal closure for octopus management

Conduct community and school video screening

Communities Supported -:

Kuruwitu Community Based Organisation
Bureni Community Based Organisation

Kuruwitu Tengefu Revitalized and Bureni Tengefu Revitalized

Baseline analysis of the Bureni Tengefu History and a Revitalization strategy developed.
20 Patrol guards trained and equipped to patrol Bureni and Kuruwitu Tengefu.
Tengefu boundaries demarcated.
Tengefu mangement documents developed.
Constitution upgradeed to include the Kuruwitu Co-managedd Area Plan

Impact:

Enhancing fish production through Traditional Marine Community Conservation Systems “Tengefu”

3 community marine conservation areas
400% increased fish biomass
15% spillover effect in the surrounding fisheries
30% recovery of coral reef
17% seagrass recovery
200 turtle nests protected
18,000 turtle hatchlings released
20,000 juvenile corals planted
3,000 students exposed to marine conservation
Self financing through ecotourism
12,000 Ha Kuruwitu CMA developed

READ ARTICLE

SOLUTION LAB 2

Coastal fishing Community Food Systems more Resilient Through Climate Smart Kitchen Gardening

Climate smart backyard kitchen gardening of indigenous leafy greens is a modern day adaptation of a traditional farming system. It empowers land poor coastal fishing communities to produce indigenous vegetables for kitchen use and sale. These systems are ;

Climate Resilient: Adaptable to climate
Carbon neutral: Recycle organic waste
Water neutral: Reuse HH waste water
Cash neutral: Save on HH budgets
Water Efficient: Use 50% less

Communities Supported -:

Timboni women group
Naimani women group
Vipingo women group
Inuka widows women group
Vidzo mgandini selfhelp group
Banda villa womens group

Impact:

Enhancing leafy greens consumption in Women and Youth through Climate Smart Backyard Kitchen Gardening

4 climate-smart systems developed
5 demo farms set up
600 households adopting the systems
6000 individual garden units established
Doubling household consumption of greens
1500 Ksh/week saved on HH budgets
3000 students exposed to the solutions

Check out this captivating article by Teddy Katono one of our Permaculture Outreach Assistant. A seed of hope story and journey, sharing the impacts our Permaculture project has on local coastal fishing communities.

Network Members:

Meli Bees Network (Brazil): Meli Bees Network's work in the Brazilian Amazon to support communities in developing regenerative practices is at the forefront of ecological preservation. Link https://www.meli-bees.org/

The Prairie Food System Vision Network (PFSVN) (Canada): The Prairie Food System Vision Network works with Indigenous Peoples, settlers and newcomers across the Prairie Provinces in Canada to identify, encourage, and support a range of solutions contributing to health, justice, sustainability, and food sovereignty in the Prairie biome. Link: https://prairiefoodsystemvision.org/

Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprises & Development (FRIEND) (Fiji): FRIEND, based in Fiji, seeks to create a Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprises & Development (FRIEND) using integrated approaches to tackle Social, Economic and Health challenges in communities around Fiji.. Link: https://friendfiji.com/

Oceans Alive Foundation (Kenya): Together with coastal communities, Oceans Alive share sustainable solutions which create a ripple effect to improve livelihoods along the Kenyan coast. Link: www.oceansalive.org

Village Farmers Initiative (Nigeria): Village Farmers Initiative (VFI) is a dedicated organization in Nigeria focused on achieving transformational food systems and climate adaptation through nature-positive food production, preservation of indigenous food heritages, landscape restoration and sustainable use of natural resources. Link: https://villagefarmers.org

Our solution labs target the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s):