I understand that policy without practice is useless, practice without policy is aimless and without underpinning knowledge both become worthless. In my view, the SPIBES programme brings all these three components together, which is what piqued my interest in the programme.
I am a Kenyan with a BSc in Forestry from the University of Eldoret. As a social ecologist, I aim to connect the dots between environmental and social issues. My MSc research has taken me to the pastoral fields of Loima in Turkana, Kenya, looking at the perceptions and ecological value of pastoral forage trees. I have seen how a lack of policy grounded in practice can affect a community. In the Loima pastoral fields, the absence of a policy that integrates traditional pastoral practices with modern conservation efforts has led to a decline in the ecological value of pastoral forage trees, making the community even more destitute.
My choice of research topic and application for the SPIBES program were influenced by the desire to ensure that policy, practice and science can communicate with each other.
Participating in the SPIBES MSc programme has significantly advanced my ability to conduct comprehensive policy research beyond conventional frameworks. For instance, I can now conduct in-depth policy analyses, develop evidence-based policy recommendations, and assess the potential impacts of proposed policies on biodiversity and climate change. It has provided me with the tools to analyse and address complex environmental challenges from a holistic perspective.
I have also had several enriching experiences. One of them was participating in the sixth IPBES Youth Capacity Building Forum in Nairobi in May 2023. This meeting was important as it emphasised the role of youth in biodiversity conservation and policymaking. It brought together representatives from various youth organisations and networks to identify specific capacity-building needs and explore ways to enhance these at national, regional and global levels.
