Mongabay Africa Partners with ALU School of Wildlife Conservation to Promote Positive Stories in Conservation

By Ange de la Victoire DUSABEMUNGU

In a groundbreaking event held in Kigali, Rwanda, key figures in conservation and journalism gathered to discuss the transformative power of solutions journalism in Africa. Led by Mongabay Africa and the ALU School of Wildlife Conservation, the meeting highlighted the urgent need for positive storytelling in the realm of environmental conservation.

Amidst a backdrop of Western media’s often skewed portrayal of Africa, speakers like Mr. David Akana emphasized the importance of showcasing the continent’s successes and initiatives in conservation. With a focus on funding journalism projects, capacity building, and collaboration with local journalists, Mongabay Africa and ALU SOWC are paving the way for a more sustainable future in Africa.

From discussions on economic opportunities in conservation to the role of media in raising awareness about environmental issues, the event shed light on the critical need for accurate information dissemination and community engagement.

In an interview with TOP AFRICA NEWS Media, Mr. David Akana, Director of Programs at Mongabay Africa, emphasized the importance of highlighting positive stories in conservation.

He said “Africa often suffers very disproportionately from negative media coverage. Africa is always presented in the Western media as a place where there’s diseases, hunger conflict, poor leadership, Corruption, etc, etc, but that’s not a full story of Africa as you and I know,”

Akana highlighted the need for a solutions approach in journalism to showcase the positive initiatives and successes in conservation across the continent. He commended Rwanda for its environmental leadership and emphasized the importance of sharing such stories in the news.

Mongabay Africa, a media organization dedicated to environmental conservation reporting, partners with the ALU SOWC to promote positive narratives in conservation. The collaboration aims to engage partners, scientists, researchers, decision-makers, and business leaders in conversations to drive Africa towards a more sustainable future.

“We have journalism funding to support coverage of untold stories. Any journalist anywhere in the world can pitch creative proposals to us and receive funding to report on important conservation issues,” Akana explained.

In addition to funding journalism projects, Mongabay Africa also focuses on capacity building through webinars, lectures, mentorship opportunities, and partnerships with local journalists. By nurturing the next generation of science reporters and collaborating with experienced journalists, Mongabay Africa aims to create a network of storytellers dedicated to promoting positive conservation efforts in Africa.

Through their innovative projects and collaborative efforts, Mongabay Africa and the ALU SOWC are working towards changing the narrative around conservation in Africa and displaying the continent’s progress towards a sustainable future.

During this event, Richard Vigne, the Director of the School of Wildlife Conservation at the African Leadership University, stressed that Africa is a leader in conservation innovation, but often fails to realize its potential on a global scale.

He highlighted the economic opportunities that conservation can bring to the continent, including carbon markets, biodiversity markets, and increased global attention towards environmental management. The School of Wildlife Conservation aims to educate students on these opportunities and prepare them to be at the forefront of conservation entrepreneurship.

Another speaker at the event, Mr. Jean Bosco Rushingabigwi, who is in charge of inter-sector coordination at the Rwanda Governance Board, emphasized the importance of media in creating awareness and understanding of environmental issues.

Rushingabigwi highlighted the need for accurate understanding of environmental issues in order to find effective solutions.

 He stressed that the impact of climate change and changes in lifestyle, such as in agriculture, are contributing to rising health concerns like cancer, particularly among the youth population.

He emphasized the role of the media in disseminating information and raising awareness about environmental issues.

Rushingabigwi called for innovative ways of presenting information that are appealing and accessible to the younger generation, who make up a significant portion of the population. He pointed out that traditional methods of communication, such as print newspapers, may not be as effective as digital platforms like mobile phones and YouTube in reaching today’s youth.

Rushingabigwi also emphasized the need for collaboration between newsrooms, training institutions, academicians, decision-makers, and media practitioners in order to effectively educate the public about environmental issues. He called for a reevaluation of journalism curriculums to ensure that they are practical and relevant to the current digital era.

In his key note adress, Patrick Karera, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment emphasized the need for awareness and community engagement in addressing the challenges of climate change, stating that environmental journalism plays a crucial role in educating citizens and policymakers.

Karera also acknowledged the untapped potential in utilizing data and information to convey the realities of climate change to communities.

He stressed the importance of capacity building and citizen-centered policies in addressing climate change issues effectively. Additionally, he expressed a willingness to leverage existing institutions and media platforms, such as Mongabay’s digital app, to enhance communication and knowledge sharing on environmental issues.

He said “We are very much open to see how we can leverage on what Mongabay has already done in Africa, but also in other continents, to see how we can learn from those best practices and be able to deploy the digital platforms that also go hand in hand.”

”We are very much open to build relationships moving forward, and we look forward to see more coming, and a clear implementation plan out of Africa moving forward.” He concluded.