The Backbone is a Newsletter of the Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS ) and it has been published since 1997. The Backbone covers different news from ARCOS programmes/projects, ARCOS members and partners, across the Albertine Rift region, Africa Great Lakes, African Mountains and beyond. Don’t miss the opportunity if you are interested in sharing your conservation and development news with ARCOS.

Resilience to Climate Change News

Adaptation at Altitude: Stakeholders commit to support sustainable mountain development and regional cooperation in East Africa

Between 26th to 29th September 2021, the Government of Uganda hosted the Africa Climate Week (ACW). The ACW 2021 set out to accelerate collaboration and integrate climate action into global pandemic recovery. Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS) together with UNEP, GRID-Arendal, the East African Community (EAC) and partners organized a virtual-side event on Wednesday, 29th September 2021. The event was titled 'Adaptation Solutions and Climate Action in Africa's Mountains'. This event presented an opportunity for regional stakeholders to discuss the opportunities for sustainable mountain development and cooperation in East Africa. Read more

Investing in women to tackle climate change

According to the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s assessment report, the world will continue to be vulnerable to climate change. The Albertine region has been experiencing climate variability. Yet given the traditional role in agricultural production, women of the mentioned above region may be among the most vulnerable to the consequences of climate change, they are integral to any solution. Read more

Biodiversity Conservation & Ecosystem Restoration News

The Foundation Audemars-Watkins and ARCOS partner to restore the Nyagasenyi remnant forest landscape

In partnership with the Foundation Audemars-Watkins and Kirehe District, ARCOS is going to implement a three-year project aimed at restoring the Nyagasenyi remnant forest landscape and its water catchment and sustain surrounding community livelihoods through landscape restoration, integrated watershed management and eco-agricultural value chain development. Read more

Sustainable Food System News

Moving towards sustainability: 16000 farmers to benefit from SALM training in Bugesera and Rulindo districts

The today’s world, as Rwanda, is facing a challenge of how to meet the growing demand for agricultural products while at the same time conserve biodiversity and prevent a global climate crisis. In face of this situation, ARCOS has initiated an intervention, training farmers on Sustainable Agriculture Land Management (SALM) Practices, so they can conserve biodiversity, tackle climate change associated issues and meet the growing demand for agricultural products. Read more

Social Capital & Sustainable Community Livelihoods News

Nature-Based Community Enterprise: KOAUKI’s resilience during COVID-19

Back in 2018, The Albertine Rift Conservation Society donated ten cows to a Banana Farmers’ Cooperative (KOAUKI) based in Kigarama Sector of Kirehe District, Eastern Rwanda. Even though COVID-19 has been a great challenge to the operations of this cooperative, KOAUKI has tried to keep the momentum of practicing sustainable agriculture and improving livelihoods of its members. Read more

Nature-Based Community Funds leading a transformational change in the Kagera basin

Back in 2017, the Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS ) launched a revolving fund system named “Nature-Based Community Fund (NBCF)” to support community investments in improving their livelihoods and environmental sustainability. After five years of existence, NBCFs are leading transformational changes in their communities. Read more

Education for Sustainable Development News

Eco-Schools Programme partners met and pledged a continued collaboration towards its further successful implementation

On 23rd September 2021 at Lemigo Hotel, ARCOS held a meeting with Eco-Schools’ partners. After the meeting, partners pledged a continued collaboration towards its further successful implementation. Read more

Regional News

As cities grow, air pollution becomes second largest cause of death in Africa

Air pollution was responsible for 1.1 million deaths across Africa in 2019, a new study shows. Most of these deaths — 697,000 — were as a result of household air pollution driven largely by indoor cooking stoves. Read more

UN-backed report reveals rising climate change risk across Africa

Last year, climate change contributed to mounting food insecurity, poverty and displacement in Africa, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and partners said in a report published in October 2021. Read more.

Kenya Adopts DNA Barcodes to Protect and Save Fish Resources

Kenya will use fish DNA barcodes to fight illegal exploitation and smuggling of sea resources. The scientific exercise involves harvesting different species, generating molecular specimen and profiling them to build a reference library of the country's aquatic organisms, to enable the government to conclude different pending cases as a result of illegal fishing. Read more