Kenya and EU to Launch KES 3.6Bn Water Towers Protection Program in Western and North Rift

By Soko Directory Team / Published June 20, 2016 | 12:17 pm

The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and the European Union will launch the Water Towers Protection and Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Programme on Tuesday in Uasin Gishu County.

The 6 years programme initiated in 2014 with a preparatory phase is projected to end in 2020. The total funding is estimated at KSh 3.6 Billion.

Prof. Judi W. Wakhungu Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and Ambassador of the European Union Stefano Dejak will grace the occasion accompanied by other dignitaries.

According to the European Union, the Programme is to support Kenya to eradicate poverty through enhancing the productivity of ecosystem services of Kenya’s critical ecosystems and enhance resilience to climate change of her water sources.

“The purpose of this Programme is to improve the quality and quantity of ecosystem services provided by Kenya’s water towers through increased forest cover, improved landscape and natural resource management, and waste management systems leading to increased benefits to rural communities from forest, agriculture and agro-forestry land use systems.”

Read: Using the Ecosystem to Enhance the Lives of Kenyans #WaterTowers

The Programme will cover two of the five main Water Towers: Mt Elgon and Cherangany Hills and its ecosystems. The following counties will benefit from this Programme: Bungoma, Busia, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kakamega, Kisumu, Nandi, Siaya, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Vihiga and West Pokot.

Implementing Agencies include: Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MENR), Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Kenya Water Towers Agency (KWTA), Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) and The Directorate of Climate Change.

Kenya targets to increase its forest cover by 10 percent in 2030. Currently, it is at 6.9 percent.

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