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Double your impact with the Big Give Green Match Fund

Good news! This year, you can help support the protection of threatened African forests through A Rocha’s locally led conservation initiatives. Together with you, we can help protect 260,000 ha of forest across Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa. This also means 5,000 people from local communities will be supported through sustainable livelihoods, and over 150 threatened species and their habitats will be protected!

All this is possible thanks to A Rocha International’s participation in the Big Give Green Match Fund 2024, taking place from noon (BST) 18-25 April. During the campaign week, your donations made via the Big Give website will be doubled*. Watch our video to find out how your support can make a difference to the people and wildlife that call these forests ‘home’.

One donation, twice the impact. 

* Please note only donations made through our campaign page on the Big Give website between 18-25 April are eligible to be doubled (while match funds last). The donate button will appear on the campaign page when the Green Match Fund launches. 

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Farming for people and planet in India

Switching to organic farming can feel risky for independent farmers in India. Lower yields than normal can be expected for the first two to three years, but ultimately, adopting sustainable practices cultivates healthier soil, cleaner ecosystems and more nutrient-dense harvests: a win-win for people and planet! 

A Rocha India is equipping farmers in the Bannerghatta-Hosur region to make a bold transition to organic farming. Beginning with a thorough survey of farming communities in the region, they take care to understand the needs of the community. They then offer educational workshops and share information about government aid, which can ease the transition. A Rocha aims to impart sound ecological knowledge to these farmers about their environment, as well as learn from the wealth of their indigenous, traditional knowledge and help propagate it on a community level.  

The project has seen some ups and downs since it began in 2022: one year, a delayed onset of monsoons meant that the area was still receiving heavy rainfall during harvest season, which is typically dry. The next year, there were poor weather conditions at the planting stage. Farmers are highly vulnerable to a changing climate and unpredictable weather, which can ruin some or all of a harvest. To mitigate these risks, A Rocha distributes climate and pest-resistant seeds and provides organic manure to get farmers started.  

It takes time for the full ecological and health benefits of organic farming to be realized, which is why A Rocha is building long-term relationships with select farms. We are also creating a sustainable demand and supply chain for the crop. This has been a great opportunity for A Rocha to involve volunteers and other stakeholders from the neighbouring metropolitan city of Bangalore. It has encouraged them to learn more about this environmentally sustainable way of farming and spread the message! 

Organic farming isn’t just about human health: it’s a conservation practice, as well. Commercial farming, predominately a monoculture practice, wreaks havoc on our soil and habitats, eliminating the biodiversity that local species need to thrive. By going organic, we are not only protecting our soil and water; we are also creating spaces where native plants and animals can flourish. This is especially important in the partner farms around Bannerghatta National Park and the North Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary. Organic farming means sustainable livelihoods for the people, as well as healthy habitats for elephants, hares, deer and leopards who live there, too.  

Globally, these projects contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals for Zero Hunger and Life on Land. Learn more about the Global Goals at sdgs.un.org/goals

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Beyond honey: beekeeping’s impact on biodiversity and livelihoods

It is estimated that about one-third of the food we eat relies on bee pollination. As bees visit flowers in search of nectar and pollen, they transfer pollen between plants, enabling plants to reproduce and produce fruits and seeds. This vital ecological service not only supports biodiversity but also sustains food production for humans and wildlife.  

Beekeeping — the maintenance of bee colonies, commonly in man-made beehives — offers significant benefits, including promoting pollinator health and biodiversity while supporting sustainable livelihoods. A Rocha organizations around the world have undertaken beekeeping projects aimed at promoting sustainable practices, supporting communities and conserving natural habitats. 

A Rocha Kenya recently implemented a sustainable beekeeping project within the Dakatcha Nature Reserve and with its neighbouring communities. The project focused on introducing beekeeping practices to local farmers while conducting environmental education on pollinators in Dakatcha schools. Students from 10 schools participated in environmental education sessions, cultivating pollinator-friendly gardens to support bee populations. Additionally, 15 farmers received training in beekeeping techniques and were provided with beehives, contributing to both conservation and economic empowerment in the region.  

A Rocha South Africa commenced a beekeeping project emphasizing community livelihoods and conservation. By training and supporting community beekeepers, the project aims to create sustainable incomes while fostering environmental stewardship. This approach not only benefits bee populations and pollination but also strengthens relationships between communities and nature reserves, promoting conservation in environmentally sensitive areas. 

Additionally, In Ghana, beekeeping empowers communities economically and promotes pollination. In Switzerland, beekeeping contributes to dry meadow conservation, safeguarding biodiversity. A Rocha UK educates through pollinator-focused programmes at the Wolf Fields urban community reserve, while A Rocha Czech provides essential habitat for bees with ‘insect hotels’ (right) and A Rocha Lebanon are building rammed-earth hives and recycling beeswax.  

These beekeeping projects highlight the vital role of bees in biodiversity conservation globally. It’s not just about honey; it’s about preserving ecosystems, fostering sustainable livelihoods and ensuring a sweet future for both nature and communities.  

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‘Making a World of Difference’ at COP28

There were many ‘firsts’ at the recent UN Climate Conference, COP28. It was the first time that the burning of fossil fuels was officially acknowledged as the key cause and driver of climate change. There was a new Health Day and a sustainable fashion show. We especially applauded the first ever Faith Pavilion, which mobilised people of faith to ‘catalyse more ambitious, effective, holistic and just climate action.’  

Towards the end of the conference, Renew Our World and A Rocha International’s Head of Theology, Dave Bookless, launched their short book, Making a World of Difference, at the event ‘Religious Resistance to Climate Action’ in the Faith Pavilion. This is by no means the first faith-based book on caring for the planet, but despite decades of campaigning, many faith communities remain resistant to climate action. This little book was especially designed to equip global church leaders to respond to the climate and biodiversity crisis. In Dave’s words, ‘If you study God’s word and love your neighbour you’ll want to “Make a World of Difference” for Jesus’ sake. This book tells you why, shows you how and gives you hope.’  

As the only global Christian organization working specifically in biodiversity conservation, A Rocha offered a unique perspective, both in and outside of the Faith Pavilion. A Rocha Ghana’s National Director, Seth Appiah-Kubi spoke at the event, ‘Faith and Nature: Partners in Landscape Restoration and Nature-based Solutions’. Alongside a fantastic panel, Seth described how A Rocha Ghana collaborates with local communities around forests and savannahs to mitigate climate change, restore biodiversity and support sustainable livelihoods. Daryl Bosu, also from A Rocha Ghana, championed nature-based solutions in an event hosted by the IUCN; later, he showcased an initiative to protect shea parklands across West Africa at the Pavilion of the Global Alliance for a Sustainable Planet. 

We leave COP28 encouraged and hopeful that Christians will rise to the challenge of tackling climate change while halting and reversing biodiversity loss. Read Making a World of Difference below to learn how and why you should take action to care for God’s creation. 

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From Pulpit to Plowshare

While studying for a degree in Agribusiness Management, Vincent discovered a passion for discipleship and ministry and assumed he would be leaving agriculture behind. He writes, ‘I thought ministry was only about the pulpit.’  

His younger self would have been surprised to discover he now leads A Rocha Kenya’s Farming God’s Way programme. This agricultural approach focuses on increased food production for humans as well as the well-being of the whole ecosystem. The soil is undisturbed (zero tillage), its surface is covered with dead leaves and other biodegrading matter (mulching) and a diversity of species is encouraged through crop rotation. Farming God’s Way takes its inspiration from biblical principles. Those teaching it in Africa say the greatest cause of hunger is waiting for the rains to come before planting. Farming God’s Way takes into account the many rhythms God wove into creation – day and night, seasons and lifespans: everything done in its proper time.  

Working with churches, Vincent and his team teach Farming God’s Way to empower community members, often living in conditions of real hardship, to be able to obtain better productivity from their farms, and in so doing to respect and care for the rest of God’s creation around them. 

Over time, Vincent says, ‘I have come to see ministry differently. A Rocha Kenya’s mission statement captures in lucid terms what I’m being shaped to walk – “People transformed; nature conserved.”’ 

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Growing Together

St Peter’s Anglican Church in Gonville Whanganui, Aotearoa New Zealand, is creating space in their front garden for a whole lot of connecting and growing. St Peter’s Garden is more than just a garden – it is a space where the community can connect, make friends, grow vegetables and play chess! Reverends Luca and Sam Tovey Duckworth say, ‘The community garden is a great place of intersection for people who wouldn’t normally make a Sunday gathering. It’s been cool seeing people take ownership and start to have their own ideas about what can happen in this space.’ 

St Peter’s is just one of the many churches engaged in A Rocha Aotearoa NZ’s burgeoning Eco Church Programme. Church communities across Aotearoa NZ are taking a more active role in caring for God’s creation. Collectively their actions are resulting in a measurable reduction in waste, carbon, pollution and energy use, leading to more sustainable ways of living that restore and enhance the natural world while connecting people to the Creator.

Find out more about Eco Church in Aotearoa NZ here. 

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A garden home for all

Although wild creatures are adept homemakers, you may find that going the extra mile to welcome them into your neighborhood pays off. A Rocha Czech Republic’s environmental centre has a two-hectare garden teeming with life, testament to the work they’ve done to create all sorts of habitats and homes for local wildlife.  

There is a heap of leaves inside a dry stonewall for snakes. Two insect hotels have rooms to suit all manner of preferences. Inside the drawers are dark corridors, off which little compartments sit for bees to deposit their larvae safely before heading off to gather pollen from the numerous varieties of native flowers allowed to blossom where they will. The six ponds are full of frogs, fish and newts, a fertile feeding ground for birds. Brightly coloured dragonflies dart above the water.  

Inside a manmade hillock, there’s a chimney – the perfect little house for breeding Kingfishers Alcedo atthis, complete with perches and inviting burrows. A composting area is fronted with plexiglass so you can peek in on the earthworms in their underground home. Tall reeds have been propped up, providing cover in an open area. Badgers raise their families in sets on the wooded edges of the property, sometimes coming into view via the camera trap at night.    

Any time spent in this natural wonderland restores vision for God’s good design in creation – where each living thing has its place, the right to belong and the ability to live alongside others in peace and harmony. It serves as a reminder that although humans often make a situation worse, we can also make it better.  
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Species rediscovered: a long-lost echidna and three wetland wonders

God is concerned for life on Earth in all its variety. His love extends to each creature, which is why we lament anytime there is human-induced extinction of a fellow species (read more in the Evangelical Call to Action on Biodiversity). However, we rejoice all the more when a species is rediscovered! We’ve seen this many times over A Rocha’s 40+ years, like when an intern discovered a Salish Sucker Catostomus sp. in Canada, and a White-naped Mangabey Cercocebus lunulatus was photographed by a camera trap in Ghana’s Atewa Forest. In 2023, several more iconic species were rediscovered by the A Rocha Worldwide Family.  

Thanks to a member of the Friends of A Rocha Network, YAPPENDA, Attenborough’s Long-beaked Echidna Zaglossus attenboroughi has been rediscovered in Indonesia! Feared extinct for over 60 years, this egg-laying mammal was found in the previously unexplored Cyclops mountains. Alongside members of the indigenous Yongsu Sapari community, scientists from the University of Oxford and students from Cenderawasih University, YAPPENDA embarked on an expedition to document the Cyclops Mountains with the goal of finding the lost echidna. The team deployed over 80 trail cameras, making multiple ascents of the mountains and climbing more than 11,000 metres in total. Finally, the echidna was caught on camera on the last SD card, from the last camera collected on the last day of the expedition. Many more discoveries were made which highlight the importance of protecting this rich wilderness, including a new species of terrestrial shrimp, dozens of new insect species and a new species of frog.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You may remember that A Rocha France observed beavers for the first time in the Vallée des Baux marshes last year. In the spring, they found three more rare and threatened species. Savi’s Warbler Locustella luscinioides once nested in the Baux marshes, but it hadn’t been observed during its nesting period in over 20 years. This elegant marsh warbler is in decline worldwide and red listed in France. A Rocha scientists observed singing males twice, almost a month apart, confirming the existence of their territory within the reserve. This migratory species prefers old reed beds with large reeds, a habitat which is gradually developing within the reserve’s wetland. 

The other spring surprises concern two rare and protected plants: the Hedge Hyssop Gratiola officinalis and the Marsh Woundwort Stachys palustris. Sensitive to grazing, the first had not been observed in the Baux marshes for almost 15 years. However, with low pastoral pressure on the reserve, these lovely flowering plants were given the opportunity to grow and bloom.  

A Rocha Lebanon is currently searching for the elusive and critically endangered Hula Painted Frog Latonia nigriventer in the Bekaa Valley. Previously suspected to be extinct, its rediscovery elsewhere in 2011 has given new hope to learning more about and protecting this species. 

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We’re listening

A Rocha is blessed with many faithful, generous and supportive friends. As our friend, we’d love to know more about you. Please take a few minutes to tell us who you are, how we found each other, what interests you about our work and anything else you’d like to tell us. We want to make sure we’re on the right track with our communications and donor care, and we are keen to improve and grow. The survey closes on Thursday 15 February.

As a gesture of thanks, for every 100 responses we’ll donate a sack gardening training day for a school in Uganda.

TAKE THE SURVEY
Earthshot Prize categories of nature, air, ocean, climate and waste.

A Rocha is nominated for the 2024 Earthshot Prize

A Rocha International is thrilled to announce we have been nominated for the prestigious 2024 Earthshot Prize. The Earthshot Prize, founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation, seeks to identify and reward innovative solutions addressing the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. A Rocha’s nomination in the Protect and Restore Nature category is a testament to our commitment to advance biodiversity conservation globally.  

A Rocha put forth our faith-based conservation solution which mobilizes Christians to protect and restore nature across six continents by operationalizing our 5 Commitments (5Cs) in landscapes and seascapes (‘scapes) around the world: 

  • CONSERVATION: We develop or support a vision for ‘scapes, implementing conservation science and action. 
  • COLLABORATE: We engage with a variety of organizations, governments, and individuals who share the vision for the ‘scape. 
  • CHRISTIAN: We inspire churches to become agents of change, connecting faith with environmental stewardship. 
  • COMMUNITY: We foster positive relationships, run educational programmes, and initiate livelihood projects in local communities. 
  • CULTURE: We draw on insights and skills from diverse cultures, locally and globally. 

Our solution actively protects vital marine and terrestrial sites, restores degraded areas, and reduces impact on important conservation areas.  

The local anchoring, cultural diversity and varying capacity of our network offer an adaptable approach based on local context. We start our nature conservation journey from where people are at in each ‘scape, nurturing their momentum, leadership, and long-term ambitions.   

Presently, this model benefits 45,500 hectares of land, impacting over 20,000 people and churches across four continents. With aspirations to expand, we aim to safeguard an additional 90,000 hectares and involve over 30,000 people and churches on six continents within the next three years. 

An expert advisory panel will rigorously evaluate the nominated solutions, narrowing down the Top 15 candidates to become Earthshot Prize Finalists, and then ultimately name the five Earthshot Prize Winners toward the end of 2024. Please pray for A Rocha as our nomination is considered for the 2024 Earthshot Prize. Learn more about the Earthshot Prize, its impactful mission, and previous winners and finalists.