Kenya's Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa has announced that the government is including village elders in its efforts to prepare communities for El Niño and support environmental restoration. With over 77,000 village elders in Kenya, they have significant influence at the community level and will help map communities at risk and advise residents on measures to take in areas prone to flooding and landslides.
The ministry has prepared booklets to equip the elders with information on environmental restoration, clean-up campaigns, pollution prevention, and disaster preparedness. These materials will help elders identify communities living along riverine areas that should move to higher ground, as well as those living in landslide-prone areas who should relocate. This initiative is part of wider efforts to strengthen community preparedness for disasters, including drought and flooding.
Barasa made the announcement ahead of Mazingira Day, a day dedicated to environmental restoration and protection of ecosystems. She called on Kenyans to participate in activities aimed at restoring the environment and protecting ecosystems. The government is moving away from focusing solely on the number of trees planted to measuring whether the trees grow and survive.
The ultimate goal of the government's restoration efforts is to restore ecosystems and improve the quality of life for Kenyans. Barasa said the government is implementing a National Landscape Ecosystem Restoration Strategy that covers different ecosystems rather than focusing on individual areas. Restoring water towers alone would not be sufficient if riverine areas were neglected, just as restoring the coastal region without addressing drylands would leave other ecosystems vulnerable.
Barasa also called on community forest associations to support restoration efforts because of their knowledge of local ecosystems and terrain. These associations can help engage communities and explain the importance of restoring degraded areas. Additionally, farmers are being encouraged to adopt agroforestry alongside crop production to prevent soil erosion, improve food security, and create economic opportunities.
The government's restoration efforts are linked to measures under the Carbon Markets Regulations and climate resilience initiatives. The focus is ultimately on protecting the environment while improving the quality of life of communities. As part of the Mazingira Day activities, Kenyans are urged to take part in environmental restoration, clean-up campaigns, and efforts to prevent pollution of water sources and wetlands.
The Kenya Meteorological Department has forecast that El Niño rains will arrive this week, making the government's efforts to prepare communities timely. The engagement of village elders and community forest associations is crucial in ensuring that communities are prepared for the impacts of El Niño and that environmental restoration efforts are successful.
Key points
- The Kenyan government is engaging village elders to prepare communities for El Niño and support environmental restoration efforts.
- The government has prepared booklets to equip village elders with information on environmental restoration and disaster preparedness.
- The government's restoration efforts are linked to measures under the Carbon Markets Regulations and climate resilience initiatives.
