Partners in Science: a Kenyan - The Netherlands Co-operative Research Programme in Marine Science off the Kenyan Coast 1990-1995.

Abstract

This document gives an outline of a research programme in marine science between the government of Kenya and The Netherlands. It is a special part of the Dutch ”Indian Ocean Programme” (lOP; 1990-1995). The central theme of this programme is climatic change and its consequences. This theme fits very well in a number of international research activities, such as the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (Global Change), the Ocean Flux Study and the TOGA of the World Climate Research Programme. Moreover, the programme is easily connected with on-going research in Kenya. It is a natural extension of the present CEC-project ”Study and management of Kenyan mangrove ecosystems”. The present programme is a partnership between the Kenyan Marine Fisheries and Research Institute (KMFRI) in Mombasa and The Netherlands Marine Research Foundation (SOZ) in The Hague. In 1982 The Netherlands government initiated a five years programme in marine science with tile Indonesian government. The Snellius-II Programme (1982-1987) was successful and brought Dutch and Indonesian marine science into the limelight of the international (research) community. The Snellius-II approach, being transfer of knowledge and infrastructure building by the execution of a truly joint research effort, is internationally recognized as an effective management tool for sustainable development. On the basis of this experience the co-operation with Kenya will be organized. Inadeq”uate infrastructure in Kenya has hindered the development of marine science. To develop marine science, funding for large scale marine projects and co-operation in Kenya with developed countries is needed. This report gives details of a five year programme in marine science between Kenya and The Netherlands. The philosophy of this partnership is to sustain development through the execution of a joint research programme. The central theme of this programme is ”the study of the effects of the monsoonal regime on coastal marine systems”. The Kenyan-Dutch partnership in science consists of three main projects. One is based on board The Netherlands research vessel Tyro and will investigate processes on the Kenyan shelf and coastal ecosystems. The other two are land-based in Mombasa and investigate coastal processes and pollution of the Kenyan coastal environment. The latter project is a Kenyan initiative. Implementation of the proposed programme will allow Kenya to develop its present marine science capability in such a way that it can successfully act as the regional centre in UNEP's Eastern African Action Plan. The research activities, proposed in this report, are a prerequisite for Kenya's leading role in marine science in East Africa. The ocean research programme (see Chapter 5) is financed by the SOZ. The cost is about DFL 1.9 million. Within this programme of two months the Tyro will exclusively be made available for our Kenyan partners for a three day research and training effort. Tile programme for this exercise is being developed by KMFRI. For the execution of the landbased programmes (see Chapters 6 and 7) funding outside the current operating budgets of the partner countries has to be found. The funding required for the two landbased programmes is DFL 2.5 million for a period of five years. Additional funding will be applied for at The Netherlands Ministry for Development Aid.