Embu County to step up environmental action

Embu, Wednesday, May 24, 2023

KNA by Steve Gatheru

Embu County government will begin enforcing the ban on hillside, springs and riverine cultivation as it steps up on actions to mitigate against climate change.      

The County's CEC Member for Water, Environment and Climate Change, Ms. Florence Musyoka said the rehabilitation of hillsides, springs and riparian lands is part of actions that will also see 100,000 trees planted annually.        

She said they plan to plant all riverine areas with bamboo in order to minimize soil erosion that sees a lot of top soil washed away each rainy season.

Ms. Musyoka, who was speaking at the Upper Tana Hall in Embu during a public participation forum on the Financing Locally Led Climate Action Programme (FLLOCA)  Tuesday, said the project will build soil conservation structures like trenches and gabions where needed.

The County's Director of Climate Change Mercy Gitiri however said moving people from the target rehabilitation areas would be done in a humane way, with affected families assisted to establish alternative livelihoods such as beekeeping, chicken and dairy goats’ rearing.

She said even as the county government waits for promised the World Bank funding for the project, the County Government has already committed Sh42 million of her own for is going to the drilling of boreholes and energy saving jikos.

Ms. Njoki Njeru, the Chair of the Upper Thuci Water Resource Users Association (WRUA) said she hoped the project would enable them to expand on the activities they have been carrying out, promoting responsible riverbank utilization and protecting water purity.

 Courtesy; K.N.A