Q&A: Citizen scientists are closing conservation data gaps

From the newsletter

Inadequate data is a major challenge for conservation efforts in Africa, especially given limited resources. In an interview with Conservation Rising, Enock Kiminta, the CEO of the Kenya National Water Resource Users Association, explains how citizen scientists are bridging the data gap for water conservation in Kenya.

• Citizen scientists in Africa can and do collect data on forests, species, wetlands and water. Successful projects across the continent demonstrate that volunteers can effectively and reliably monitor the environment at a scale and cost that professional researchers and institutions cannot match.

• “Community-led water quality monitoring does not replace government or scientific programmes happening around these water bodies. Rather, it adds value and strengthens them, because government agencies cannot monitor every river across the country,” says Mr Kiminta.

More details

Please introduce yourself and tell us what your Association does.

My name is Enock Kiminta. I'm the CEO of the Kenya National Water Resource Users Association. This is a national Association established in 2021 to bring together 779 water resource user associations in the 6 basin areas in Kenya. These are communities who rely on water for domestic use or commercial purposes.

The association was formed at the national level to articulate issues of water resource conservation and management across the country, particularly in water catchment areas where our water originates. Our role is to ensure these areas are conserved and protected. We do this by promoting water justice through sustainable use, preventing pollution, implementing policies, and amplifying community voices at the grassroots level.

We were established under the Water Resources Regulation of 2025. Regulation 102 recognises this national Association as necessary for decision-making. It ensures community voices rights are factored into policies governing our water resources.

You shared a LinkedIn post recently about a citizen science project. Could you give us an overview of it?

The project focuses on citizen science for monitoring water quality and quantity, engaging communities directly in research and data collection to assess the health of rivers, lakes, and wetlands. In the water sector, this approach empowers ordinary citizens, particularly members of Water Resource User Associations, to take part in monitoring and managing water resources. We have also expanded the project by partnering with schools at primary, secondary, and university levels, as well as organizations involved in water conservation. Together, we are generating credible scientific data that informs evidence-based decision-making, strengthens advocacy, contributes to reporting on SDG 6, target 6.3.2, and promotes sustainable water management. By bridging the gap between technical experts and communities, citizen science fosters ownership, raises awareness, and extends monitoring efforts beyond what government agencies can achieve alone.

As a national Association, we work through our grassroots members, the Water Resource User Associations (WRUAs). These WRUAs identify community scientists who monitor water quality by collecting physical, chemical, and biological data to assess the health of rivers, springs, wetlands, lakes, and other water sources. For physical parameters, they measure temperature and turbidity (water clarity). For chemical parameters, they monitor pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, nitrates, and sulphates. For biological indicators, they study aquatic organisms such as macroinvertebrates, some of which thrive in polluted water, while others can only survive in clean water, providing reliable insights into river health. They also assess microbiological contamination, including E. coli and coliforms, which pose serious public health risks such as cholera and typhoid.

Community scientists utilize portable measuring kits and observation checklists to collect data, which is recorded on standardized sheets or digital tools. We use a mobile application, Survey123, where parameters are entered and uploaded with GPS coordinates to verify sampling locations. The data is then transmitted to our central database, consolidating inputs from 49 community groups across the country. This real-time, verifiable information enhances community stewardship while also strengthening evidence-based decision-making at the policy level.

How does community-collected data complement national-level data?

Community-led monitoring does not replace government or scientific programmes but adds value in several ways. It expands coverage, as government agencies often face resource constraints and cannot monitor every river. Communities fill this gap with frequent, site-specific data. Local communities also notice annual changes quickly. For example, in Nakuru’s Kabarti wetland, community scientists detected fish deaths caused by agrochemical pollution that reduced dissolved oxygen levels.

The real-time data collected by communities complements laboratory assessments by providing continuous monthly updates that the government alone cannot sustain. Community monitoring fosters ownership and compliance, as individuals who actively participate become stewards of water resources, adhere to management rules, and support collective actions such as pollution control and riparian restoration. The data also informs policy and decision-making, enabling the government to reduce costs by supplementing professional monitoring networks. Rather than deploying costly national teams, the government can leverage community-generated data and focus its resources on advanced laboratory analysis and compliance checks.

Do you train these community scientists? And are they paid for their work?

Community scientists are true champions of our water resources; they are 100% volunteers, driven not by pay but by the passion to safeguard our shared future. As an Association, we support their dedication by providing monitoring kits and offering non-financial incentives such as exchange visits, peer learning opportunities, and recognition awards. These efforts keep them motivated and celebrated, ensuring their vital contributions to water protection are both sustained and appreciated.

What challenges have you faced in working with citizen scientists?

Equipment and resources remain a major concern, as monitoring kits and reagents are costly and often donor-dependent. When reagents expire or run out, data gaps emerge. Retaining community scientists is another challenge: as volunteers, some lose technical skills without refresher training, while others drop out due to limited feedback or the need to seek income-generating opportunities. Safety and accessibility further complicate monitoring, particularly at sites that become hazardous during floods or droughts linked to climate change. Declining water sources also present a pressing concern where Kenya had about 267 perennial rivers in the 1970s, only 61 remain permanent today, largely due to climate change and human activity, reducing the sites available for monitoring. Weak institutional support compounds these issues, as county governments and agencies often prioritize water supply over catchment conservation, while inconsistent collaboration and under-investment continue to slow progress.

What do you recommend should be done to strengthen this initiative?

To sustain citizen science, consistent institutional support is essential. National and county governments should invest in training, refresher courses, and mentorship programs to keep community scientists engaged and skilled. They should also provide monitoring equipment and financial support rather than relying solely on donors. In addition, incentivizing and recognizing community scientists through awards, certifications, and public acknowledgment can boost morale and encourage long-term participation.

Other strategies to strengthen citizen science in Kenya include formally integrating it into government monitoring frameworks to ensure community-generated data is recognized in planning and reporting, while also fostering partnerships with universities and research institutions for validation, technical support, and student collaborations. The use of digital tools and mobile applications can simplify data collection and sharing, improving transparency and accessibility. To ensure long-term sustainability, funding should be diversified through mechanisms such as public-private partnerships, reducing reliance on donor support. Strengthening community ownership by linking citizen science to conservation, livelihoods, and climate resilience, alongside raising public awareness through media campaigns and storytelling, will further enhance participation and recognition of citizen scientists’ vital contributions.