The Biodiversity Action Day at Mt. Suswa was to create awareness about the importance of biodiversity, and about sustainable development opportunities for the Maasai communities. Population increase and unfavorable weather conditions in the last years have made it difficult for the Maasai to live in harmony with nature. Increasing demand for firewood as well as land for livestock and agriculture have resulted in deforestation and high pressure on the Mt. Suswa ecosystem and its biodiversity.

The Action Day was organized at the compound of Kisharu Primary School, in a joint effort of the Promotion of Private Sector Development in Agriculture (PSDA) programme implemented by the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA); the Lake Naivasha Landscape Project of the World Wide Fund of Nature (WWF); the Mount Suswa Conservation Trust; the Centre for Pastoral Development (CEPAD); SUSTAINET, a network promoting conservation agriculture; the elders of the Maasai community; and teachers of Kisharu Primary School.

Group 3: Firewood Saving Stoves (PSDA).The group converged next to the newly built school kitchen that has been completed with a new institutional rocket brick stove and two kisasa stoves. On the display were metal cladded jiko kisasa, a fireless cooker, posters, brochures and jiko calenders. The participants were sensitized about GTZ/PSDA's activities on energy-saving stoves, and trained to use the recently installed institutional rocket brick stove and two kisasa stoves in the school kitchen. A marked difference was noted between the fuel wood used by three stones and the improved three stone which were all lit at the same time. Demonstration on how to use a fireless cooker was on rice preparation. Finally, two nearby homes with installed jiko kisasa were visited. The Maasai home owners confessed that when using three stone fireplace they used to fetch firewood eight times as compared to only two visits to the forest to fetch firewood since they installed kisasa jikos. They also said they have less eye problems due to significantly reduced smoke emissions in their manyatta.

Group 4: Potentials of Conservation Farming (SUSTAINET). While visiting two maize shambas, the concept of Conservation Agriculture was introduced to the group as a mitigation strategy towards enhancing their resilience to effects of climate change. The importance of biodiversity in so far as conserving soil micro organisms through CA leads to increased soil fertility, better and sustainable yields. The Maasai farmers learned about the practical application of Conservation Agriculture and how it would bring a difference with regard to profitability of their farm business.

Group 5: "Planting of Trees"(WWF). With over 200 tree seedlings provided by the Centre for Pastoralist Development (CEPAD), experts from WWF advised the school children and other guests on tree planting. Fences protect the trees against sheep and goats that are on their constant search for vegetation. The trees also provide shade around the Kisharu Primary School, and contribute to cleaning air and water, prevent erosion which is a serious and widespread phenomenon in Mt. Suswa, and serve insects and birds as micro-habitat.