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

ARCOS calls the world to walk the talk after COP26 commitments

The UN Climate Change Conference took place between 31st October to 12th November 2021 in Glasgow, UK. Around the world, disasters are striking anytime as effects of climate change. On one side of the coin the world is facing such catastrophes, on the other one, there are good deals of work in tackling climate change impacts and biodiversity loss. However, regardless of these initiatives dealing with the above-mentioned climate issues, the world is not joining hands so fast to overcome climate change impacts. ARCOS calls the world to walk the talk after COP26 commitments. Read more

ARCOS Statement on the International Mountain Day 2021

The International Mountain Day is celebrated annually on 11th December. The goal of celebrating this day is to raise awareness about the role of mountains in improving the livelihoods and well-being of communities, etc… On this occasion, ARCOS recommended that African governments make policy and legal reforms that take into account sustainable mountain development in their legal and policy frameworks. Also, regional bodies need to establish policy guidelines for mountain development. This can be adopted as well in other regions. Read more

Biodiversity Conservation & Ecosystem Restoration News

COP26: ARCOS received a grant for a project to protect and regenerate thousands of hectares surrounding the degraded Mukura Forest

During a side event of the Cop26 titled “A New Phase for AFR100: Accelerating Africa’s Locally Led Land Restoration Movement”, which took place in Glasgow on November 2, 2021, ARCOS received a grant for a project to protect and regenerate thousands of hectares surrounding the degraded Mukura Forest. Read more

Through its “Agroforestry for Livelihoods” project, ARCOS kicked off its 2021 tree planting campaign of more than one million trees in Rwanda’s Bugesera and Rulindo landscapes

ARCOS with support from the Livelihoods Funds and in partnership with the Rwanda Forestry Authority (RFA), Rulindo and Bugesera districts, committed to plant more than a million agroforestry and woodlot trees, including indigenous and fruit trees in Rulindo and Bugesera focal landscapes. This initiative comes in as a contribution to the country’s commitment to significantly cut carbon emissions and fight against desertification. Read more

ARCOS-One Tree Planted: New efforts to promote landscape restoration in Rwanda

ARCOS and One Tree Planted came together to restoring degraded areas and enhancing climate resilience in mountainous areas of Western Rwanda and in the lowlands of Eastern Rwanda. Read more

Sustainable Food System News

ARCOS provided certified seeds to farmers as a proactive approach to deal with climate changes

When 2021 was down turning, ARCOS provided certified maize and beans seeds to 6000 farmers (member of Friends of Nature Associations). As mentioned above, this initiative came in as a contribution to existing ARCOS Community Nature Based approach to deal with climate change. Read more

Social Capital & Sustainable Community Livelihoods News

ARCOS established new Umusave and Turaco Funds for business promotion & sustainable livelihoods at community and school level

In December 2021, ARCOS facilitated the establishment of 17 new Umusave Funds at cell level (involving 7,000 smallholder farmers working with ARCOS through the Agroforestry for Livelihoods project in Rulindo and Bugesera) and ten (10) Turaco Funds at sector level involving ten schools (engaged in ARCOS’ Eco-Schools Programme) in Rulindo, Bugesera, Kirehe & Rutsiro for business promotion & sustainable livelihoods at community and school level. Read more

Education for Sustainable Development News

The Eco-Schools Programme introduced “The Green Learning Zone Initiative” in partner schools

The Eco-Schools Programme partner schools , including GS Kibungo, have embraced the" “Green Learning Zone”, a new ARCOS initiative towards education for sustainable development. Read more

Regional News

Kenyans fight to save bees

In Kenya, like in many other countries, bees are under threat. Loss of habitat and intensive farming practices including the use of pesticides have led to a drastic reduction in the population of polinators in the last 30 years. Read more

Positioning the youth for effective climate action in Africa

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Africa as a region is the most vulnerable to climate change compared to other regions of the world due to its complex climate system. Meanwhile, to address these challenges, the continent must look inward and utilize its greatest asset – the youth – to address climate change. Read more

Africa faces an uphill battle against western emissions to combat climate change

The UN climate summit COP26, held in November 2021, focused the world’s attention on the urgent need to tackle climate change and concluded with 197 countries agreeing to the Glasgow climate pact. But opinions on the summit’s success are polarized. Read More