Narok benefits from climate change funding

Narok, Monday, May 15, 2023

KNA by Ann Salaton

Narok County is among the 42 counties in the country set to receive Climate Change Funding from the World Bank through the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLOCA) programme.

Narok Environment and Climate Change Director Liaram Molai said the funds expected to help the counties to mitigate the effects of climate change will come in two levels namely institutional and investment grants.

He explained the county has already received the institutional funding amounting to Sh 11 million that is meant for capacity building as they prepare to receive the other batch of investment grants in July this year.

He said this during a Climate Change Committee sensitisation meeting held at a Narok hotel where he reiterated that his department is sensitising the community to come up with informed decisions.

The director said their objective is to come up with a Participatory Climate Risk Assessment (PCRA) document, after the collection of data in every ward.

“What we are doing is to equip the climate change committee to be able to understand the process. We will do this in all the 30 wards in the county,” he said.

He added that the plan will serve as a guiding document that will ease decision making in terms of investment for the county towards climate change.

“We are working with local media houses and community leaders to ensure that this aspect of climate change is understood by the majority of Kenyans even in the rural areas,” he said.

Water and Environment Chief Officer Willy Loigero said the sensitisation forums will help the climate change committee to build resilience in terms of water provision, to increase forest cover through planting of trees.

He urged Narok residents to avoid destroying the environment but instead focus on restoring the already destroyed land through tree planting and protecting water catchment areas.

Loigero further encouraged the committee to continue sensitising the community on clean energy to ensure by the year 2028, the county is on the frontline in achieving clean energy in cooking.

Narok Township Member of County Assembly (MCA) Lucas ole Kudate asked the residents to use alternative sources of energy instead of using firewood and charcoal that have a negative effect on the environment.

“I would like to encourage those residing along the river banks to avoid pollution of the river banks and do as per what the law says concerning riparian lands,” he added.

Courtesy; K.N.A