ALLELA AKINYI ABBIE
Natural Resource Management Specialist
Summary
I am motivated and dependable candidate who aims to bringing about beneficial change whilst leaving a positive impact in society. An environmental enthusiast with interests in research and empirical studies centered on sustainable, integrated natural resources management
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
7
7
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work History
Programme Assistant
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
06.2021 - 12.2021
- Offer programmatic assistance towards the development of a new database for training opportunities in the field of oceans science and technology in/for Africa within the framework of the OceanInfo Hub project
- Facilitate the UNESCO/IOC project in Kenya on gender and poverty values considerations in Marine Spatial Planning.
- Co-authored and assisted in editing the Marine Spatial Planning and Blue Economy handbook for Kenya by reviewing submitted paperwork from authors, recognizing discrepancies and promptly addressing for resolution.
National Consultant
United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
08.2020 - 06.2021
- Collaborated with different stakeholders and teams,as the lead facilitator for implementing a workshop to train stakeholders on marine spatial planning processes in the Kenyan Exclusive Economic Zone and nearshore waters
- Prepared a capacity needs assessment on institutions mandated with marine governance issues in Kenya to justify their capability to steer a marine spatial process for the country
- Evaluated capacity assessment response needs to provide insight into the human resource and technical capacities to guide marine spatial planning for Kenya
Graduate Research Fellow
Stockholm Environment Institute
05.2020 - 06.2021
- Co-authored a book from the proceedings of the Research and Science Symposium of the 2018 Blue Economy Conference
- Comprehensively did literature reviews and document analysis inclusive of valuating government reports and policy documents on Blue Economy in Kenya
- Prepared a brief on the fusion of the land and sea interface in marine spatial planning (MSP) to guide the process in Kenya as a new frontier for blue growth
- Applied the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development criteria to evaluate the Mikoko Mangrove Project in Lamu County (Kenya)
Marine Policy Intern
United Nations Educactional, Scientific and Cultural Organization
03.2019 - 08.2019
- I collected and compared framework documents related to marine sciences from African coastal and adjacent island states with an aim to prepare policy and management materials for use by participants during the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO- Africa regional annual workshop
- Learned and adapted quickly to new technology and software applications such as JOOMLA to collect information on existing websites of marine training, research, and resource management
- I was responsible for preparing summary reports on availability of framework documents, online information sources, and institutional capacities for marine research and management in Africa
- Wrote a concept note for activities implemented during the 2019 World Oceans Day centered around the theme Gender and Oceans.
Research Associate
Future Earth
10.2018 - 02.2019
- Performed research into study topics to increase knowledge and to provide valuable contributions with documentation review based on past plenaries related to the science-policy nexus to biodiversity and ecosystem management.
Postgraduate Research Intern
Ghent University
01.2018 - 08.2018
- Used strong analytical and problem-solving skills to conduct research to investigate how climate change induced extinctions cause change in density of populations of clams with resultant influence on community performance
Postgraduate Research Intern
World Wide Fund for Nature
06.2017 - 09.2017
- Gained extensive knowledge in sea turtle conservation initiatives in Lamu Seascape that involved beach patrolling to identify nesting sites, nest verification, translocation, and hatchling release data entry, analysis and reporting.
Research Associate
Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute
04.2013 - 09.2016
- Wrote research papers, reports, reviews, and summaries regarding transboundary ocean governance of marine resources
- I used genetic tools to monitor mangrove spatial and temporal change
- Assisted in artemia cyst production and processing and trained salt farmers in Malindi on how to use the species to increase production
- Participated in beach clean-up activities to eradicate marine litter
- Worked on the REDD+ mangrove restoration projects that aimed at carbon sequestration with benefits invested in local community projects through the Mikoko Pamoja Payment for Ecosystems (PES) scheme
- Assisted in coordinating and facilitating meetings and workshops.
Documentation Assistant
Vi-Agroforestry
01.2014 - 12.2014
- Undertook a review of technical reports from partners in the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security sites and compiled comprehensive and systematic reports documenting the on-going research activities
- Worked together with the participatory action research specialist and field assistants to prepare best practice case studies of climate smart agriculture especially in the Arid and Semi-Arid areas (ASALs)
- Identified and documented case studies on the participation of women and youth in climate smart agriculture
- I collected research data on food security and climate resilience in Nyando Basin using questionnaires.
Education
MSc - Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management
Ghent, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
09.2016 - 02.2019
BSc. - Natural Resources Management
Egerton University
08.2008 - 05.2013
Skills
Writing (such as policy briefs, technical reports, project reports and journal articles)
undefinedCertification
Associate Expert National Environmental Management Authority, Kenya
Publications
IOC-UNESCO. 2023. Marine Spatial Planning and The Blue Economy in Kenya. Paris. Nairobi, UNESCO. (IOC Technical Series, 177).
Outa, G.O., Osano, P.M., Muchiri, M., Njiru, J., Kagwanja, P., Akech, N.O., Matiri-Maisori, B., Otieno, S., Omosa, J., Onkoba, J., Nabukwesi, S., & Allela, A.A. (2021). Science, Research, and Innovation for Harnessing the Blue Economy. Nairobi: Government of Kenya & Stockholm Environment Institute - Africa Centre.
Triest. L., Van der Stocken. T., Allela. A. A., Sierens. T., Kairo. J. and Koedam. N. (2020) Channel network structure determines genetic connectivity of landward-seaward Avicennia marina populations in a tropical estuary. Ecology & Evolution
Policy brief: Stakeholder engagement in Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) processes: The Who, the When, the How. Perspectives from Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Benin, and Ghana
SELECTED CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS •
· 31st session of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization assembly(Online)
· Mikoko Project on the conservation and resilience of Kenya’s Mangrove Forest (Final Conference) on 25th May- 27th May 2021
· Sustainable Blue Economy Conference "creating economic growth, ensuring healthy waters and building safe communities" (11/2018)
· Community Based Adaptation Conference (CBA9) “Building and enhancing knowledge of youth in advancing the community-based adaptation practices and policies’’ on 26th – 29th April 2015 in Nairobi, Kenya.
· Student delegate at the European conference on Tropical Ecology, the annual scientific meeting of the Society for Tropical Ecology on 6th-10th February 2017
·International Youth Representative at the FARA/CGIAR Workshop “Climate Change, Youth Engagement, Food Security and Transformation in Africa’’ on 20th – 23rd October 2014 in Nairobi, Kenya.
· 1st United Nations Environmental Assembly “Sustainable Development Goals and the post - 2015 Development Agenda” on 23rd- 28th June 2014 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Timeline
Programme Assistant
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
06.2021 - 12.2021
National Consultant
United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
08.2020 - 06.2021
Graduate Research Fellow
Stockholm Environment Institute
05.2020 - 06.2021
Associate Expert National Environmental Management Authority, Kenya
04-2019
Marine Policy Intern
United Nations Educactional, Scientific and Cultural Organization
03.2019 - 08.2019
Research Associate
Future Earth
10.2018 - 02.2019
Postgraduate Research Intern
Ghent University
01.2018 - 08.2018
Postgraduate Research Intern
World Wide Fund for Nature
06.2017 - 09.2017
MSc - Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management
Ghent, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
09.2016 - 02.2019
Documentation Assistant
Vi-Agroforestry
01.2014 - 12.2014
Research Associate
Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute
04.2013 - 09.2016
BSc. - Natural Resources Management
Egerton University
08.2008 - 05.2013
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