Admedia is currently supporting the Global Evergreening Alliance under its continental umbrella program, Restore Africa in a 360-degree communication campaign. The campaign touches three thematic areas namely, Restoration, Livelihood, and Carbon. Under restoration, the campaign focuses on ecosystem regeneration through tree planting and Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR). Under Livelihood, the campaign is highlighting the benefits accrued to farmers’ livelihoods through improved food security and income from carbon credits. Under Carbon, the key area of focus is enhancing the power of carbon credit for sustainable growth. Restore Africa is the world’s largest community-led,nature-based carbon removal program. The program spans six African countries -Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia – restoring almost two million hectares while supporting 1.5 million smallholder farmers and their communities.
For us, this is not just business and Restore Africa is not just a client whose work we must finish. No! We believe that we are partners in the global efforts of environmental reclamation. We understand that climate change is rapid, it is extremely brutal and its consequences are far-reaching. Over the last decade or so, we have seen its effects through increased droughts, heat waves, tropical cyclones, and floods the list is endless. Mother Nature’s rage is said to be very catastrophic. It leaves behind a striking trail of destruction of property, loss of life, or both. The world finds itself in a tight nook trying to create a balance between supporting human life through increased activities like building and construction, manufacturing and mining, and carrying out these activities in a manner that is sustainable and harmless to the environment.
Restore Africa Kenya’s project targets five counties: Elgeyo Marakwet, Migori, Kwale, Kilifi, and Narok. The choice of these counties is backed by data collected over time. These counties have borne the brunt of climate change occasioned by human-related activities like the continuous cutting down of trees.
As a strategic partner in communications, we are creating the platform to amplify awareness among smallholder farmers about the project, promote uniform messaging across all the targeted counties, and achieve acceptance and uptake of the project by farmers in the said counties.
In the last three weeks, our teams have, together with our client, and in partnership with local administrations been to two counties (Elgeyo Marakwet, and Migori) for stakeholders’ engagement meetings. This is a critical part of our communication strategy as it is also a selling point to the greater agenda of restoring Africa’s landscapes for sustainable living.
As is with any campaign, we have already designed the key messages meant to airlift the campaign, we are ready for the next phase of the project. In the coming days, our team is going to facilitate a spirited campaign on both traditional and digital media design and print and distribute IEC materials in all the counties of interest. Our coverage will be expansive, from documenting the project’s core activities that will take place on the farms, to telling impactful stories of change to archiving the transformation of not just the environment but also of the livelihoods of the farmers.The truth is, there is enough data to show the destruction that has happened and is still happening to the environment and the trails of destruction this leaves behind. There is also enough data to show how humanity—the greatest casualty of climate change is suffering. Suffice it to say, that we don’t have a data problem, we have an action problem. Conferences and summits held year after year, have come up with a raft of measures to save us from ourselves. If the environment is a King and its elements are members of a monarch, our loyalty pledge should be, God save the King except, we are the ones to save that King. We Got The Environment. #WeGotYou
