Kenya: important investment in reforestation, environmental and community development projects (FAO INFOSYLVA / allAfrica / The Nation)

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FAO INFOSYLVA 2007-11

AllAfrica

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Kenya: Sh28 Million to Be Spent On Water Source

The Nation (Nairobi)

24 May 2007
Posted to the web 23 May 2007

Nairobi

Cherangany forest, a water catchment for rivers Nzoia and Kerio will be rehabilitated at a cost of Sh28 million. About 100 hectares of the forest, which has been depleted over the years, will be replanted to stop soil ending up in rivers. The forest lies between Trans Nzoia and Marakwet districts. The Community Development Trust Fund (CDTF) will contribute Sh22,799,560 towards the programme while the locals will provide Sh5,110,000 in form of labour.

Speaking in Chebororwa in Cherangany yesterday at the launch of a three-year programme for the forest, the CDTF technical officer for environment, Mr Solomon Ngari, said they had established a tree nursery with about 5,000 seedlings to reclaim the forest. Cherangany forest is a source to rivers Moiben, Chebororwa, Chepkaitit, Chebai, and Kapterit, which are tributaries of River Nzoia. Elsewhere, villagers bordering six forests have received Sh30 million from the European Union for environmental and community development projects.

Income generation

Community Environment Facility (CEF) programmes director Joseph Ruhiu said the money would be used in afforestation, dam construction and starting income generating projects in Nyandarua North and Laikipia West districts. The groups drawn from areas bordering Rumuruti, Lariak, Shamanei, Ndaragwa, Olbolossat and Ol Arabel forest will also oversee the economic utilisation of forest resources.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) will spend Sh3 million on the rehabilitation of lakes Baringo and Bogoria water catchments. Lake Baringo in particular has witnessed severe siltation and water recession in the past 10 years as a result of the destruction of forests in its watershed and increased agricultural activities. River Molo’s water hardly reaches Lake Baringo in dry spells. Lake Baringo has also been degraded considerably, leading to a drop in fish stocks that once sustained a flourishing fish trade.

Desired results

Mr Daniel Koros, the WWF integrated catchment project officer, said that forest cover in Kenya should be urgently improved to get regular rainfall. Nakuru North district commissioner Fredrick Shisia appealed to farmers to support the reforestation to achieve the desired results.

Reported by Peter Ng’etich, James Kariuki and Keziah Kanyi