On 17 September 2024, at the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) Africa 2024, Joshua Laizer, a young Maasai development practitioner, will showcase the innovative tech-based solutions he and his team are undertaking to support pastoralist communities from Maasai Steppe in Northeastern Tanzania.
Laizer’s work, focused on sustainable livelihoods and climate-smart rangeland management, highlights the importance of youth leadership in addressing climate change and food security. His journey began in 2019 when he joined the global social enterprise Afriscout.
Later, Laizer co-founded the Tanzania Conservation and Community Initiative (TACCEI), further cementing his commitment to community development. In 2024, TACCEI joined the global GLFx network, where Laizer now serves as the coordinator for the GLFx Maasai Steppe chapter. His work also extends to breeding and providing climate-resilient livestock to communities, enhancing their ability to cope with the challenges of climate change.
Technology and community engagement to reduce land and wildlife conflicts
At the hybrid upcoming conference, whose theme is “: Greening the African Horizon,” Laizer will join indigenous peoples and youth representatives from across Africa to discuss tech-based landscape conservation and restoration initiatives. For example, as part of a program in villages adjacent to protected areas, he and his team gather data through camera traps to research wildlife species across the landscape and mitigate human-wildlife conflict in Northern Tanzania.
They also combine satellite imagery with local knowledge to help pastoralist communities make informed decisions on grazing areas and improve soil and herd health. Implemented in Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Kenya, this is managed through a mobile app available on Android devices. Despite challenges like low connectivity and smartphone usage, this innovation has thousands of users in Tanzania alone and has reduced land conflicts.
These efforts by the GLFx Maasai Steppe chapter, led by TACCEI, are part of a comprehensive strategy including sustainable agriculture, community-led conservation, and entrepreneurship.
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