Mongabay launch of Swahili platform set to accelerate community participation in conservation
Mongabay Africa Director - David Akana
By Aghan Daniel
The recent launch of Mongabay Swahili heralds an important step towards empowering people at the grassroots to participate effectively in conservation efforts, a senior government official has said.
While speaking at the launch event, Mr Stephen Isaboke, Principal Secretary, State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunication, reminded the media of their importance in providing credible and science-based information to enable informed public understanding and decision-making in this digital age.
“In a continent that harbours more than 400 million social media users, this is fertile ground for disinformation. This makes credible journalism more important than ever, in languages that are most understood by communities in cities, informal settlements and the grassroots,” he said in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Temesi Mukani, the Secretary, Information and Broadcasting.
He emphasized the importance of platforms that prioritize fact-based reporting and scientific evidence, saying they play a key role in protecting the integrity of public discourse.
The PS said the launch of the Mongabay Swahili platform, held on Tuesday last week in Nairobi was a significant step towards strengthening environmental journalism in the region.
Mongabay is an international conservation news outlet has unveiled its Swahili platform targeting more than 200 million speakers across the East Africa region and millions more globally.
The hybrid event themed “Truth in the age of noise: Conservation journalism, disinformation and the promise of artificial intelligence” took place in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. It was attended by nearly 200 participants, who comprised of journalists, conservationists, scientists, UNEP representatives, communicators, indigenous community representatives, among others.
“Language determines who can access knowledge and participate in public conversations. Reporting environmental issues in Swahili, therefore, helps bring science and biodiversity issues to those most affected,” he said.
On his part, Mr Mukani stressed the dual impact of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) on information production, verification and sharing.
“While artificial intelligence presents risks such as the spread of manipulated or misleading content, it also offers powerful tools of fact checking, translation, data analysis, and wider dissemination of knowledge. When used responsibly, technology can significantly strengthen the quality and reach of environmental reporting,” he said.
David Akana, the Director of Programs for Mongabay Africa, underscored the importance of local languages in communicating environment issues that African audiences can relate to.
“While English might be important for us to use in this region, we also recognize that using local languages is even more appropriate, as our communities engage and transact through them more,” he said.
On the relevance of Mongabay Swahili, he said: “This new platform is an important step towards making environmental and climate reporting more accessible in one of Africa’s most widely spoken languages. This is aimed at strengthening conversations around nature, conservation, and sustainable development across East Africa.”
Mongabay’s core reporting is on the intersection of people and nature, primarily biodiversity, climate change, pollution, land degradation, oceans and how these issues relate to people. The African team is focused on solutions, even as it puts to task governments, local and global actors that may be reneging on their mandates in sustainable conservation
During the launch, Ann Ngugi, a former BBC journalist, underscored the importance of simplifying terminologies so that language does not become a barrier to aiding communities in participating in local decision making on conservation matters.
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