Officer awarded PhD Scholarship

Ms Rose Akombo at the Climate Change expo in Nairobi

Kenya Forest Service Assistant Director, Ms. Rose Akombo has been selected for a PhD Research Training Fellowship on Climate Change Impacts on Watershed Management under the Climate Change Impacts on Ecosystem Services and Food Security in Eastern Africa (CHIESA) Project for three years (2012–2014) after successfully passing an interview.  The project is coordinated by icipe in Nairobi, Kenya, and funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

The officer is currently deployed at the Climate Change Response Programme KFS HQs and has actively participated in various forums on climate change mitigation and adaptation at the local and international levels. In October KFS was awarded a Trophy for the Best Parastal during the Climate Change Innovation Exhibition at KICC under her leadership.  She will continue supporting the office while undertaking her studies at Kenyatta University.

The overall objective of CHIESA project is to fill critical gaps in knowledge related to climate and land change impacts on ecosystem services and develop adaptation strategies towards it by building the capacity of local research and administrative organizations by research, training and dissemination. The geographical coverage of CHIESA is Tanzania, Ethiopia and Kenya in eastern Africa and especially project target sites in the Jimma area, Pangani river basin and the Taita Hills all situated in the Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot (EABH).

The research fellowship and the project activities will build the capacity of the officers and strengthen climate and land use change monitoring and prediction systems and adaptation strategies in the country. KFS will benefit by having officers who are better equipped for policy formulation through receiving early warnings for changes in ecosystem services. In addition the institution will have access to the project results through workshops, publications and the internet.

Article by Rose Akombo