BESSA Building Ecosystem Service Research Capacity in Semi-Arid Africa

BESSA-PRESA training workshop and field visits

The training workshops were run by the partners as a method to raise capacity in integrated assessment and studies relating to environmental services to improve ecosystem management, with particular emphasis on Kenya and Tanzania.

The workshops provided opportunities for participants and trainers to share experiences and to network with people from different disciplines and experiences.

Participation at the workshops was targeted at researchers and analysts working in East Africa.

Participants were selected on the basis of interest and experience in the core disciplines of graduates in geography, forestry, hydrology, agricultural economics and environmental studies.

The outcome of the workshops were designed to equip participants with a better foundation and capacity to integrate their skills into using an ecosystem approach and assessment of payments for ecosystem services.

The workshops were run in Kenya during March and April 2009.

• Pre-workshop field visits: PRESA sites in Kenya and Tanzania

• Week 1: Ecosystem approach
Venue: ICRAF campus, Nairobi

• Week 2: practical techniques workshop
Venue: Embu, Kenya