Kenya IUCN Country Representative, PS Eng. Festus K. Ng’eno discuss IUCN projects

By Ange de la Victoire DUSABEMUNGU

Kenya’s Environment and Climate Change Principal Secretary, Eng Festus K. Ng’eno has this week hosted International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Regional Director, Charles Karangwa who called on him.

Mr Karangwa presented the IUCN country portfolio which focuses on Land Systems, Water and Wetlands, Coastal and Ocean resilience, Climate change adaptation and mitigation, Natural resource governance, Forest and landscape restoration, Dryland system resilience among others.

Among the projects being implemented by IUCN include Biodev 2030 whose aim is to bend the curve on biodiversity loss by tackling the root cause of its decline, the Restoration Initiative (TRI) focusing on livelihoods, healthy landscapes, carbon sequestration & biodiversity, Save our Mangroves based in Kilifi and Kwale counties and Towards Saving Drought Emergencies (Twende) implemented in Tana River, Lamu, Laikipia, Samburu and Marsabit to reduce the cost of climate change induced drought in Kenya.

 The projects also focus on increasing resilience of the livestock and other land use sectors in restored and effectively governed rangeland ecosystems. 

According to Kenya’s State Department for Environment and Climate Change, Principal Secretary Eng. Ng’eno emphasized the need to cut down on the cost of capacity building and focus more on community development to ensure projects are impactful. 

The PS also said the projects should decrease the number of government agencies doing implementation to improve on efficiency and cut down on duplications of roles. 

Eng Ng’eno decried the long tedious processes that affects the projects from inception to project implementation that takes too long before impact is felt on the ground calling for reduced timelines.

Mr. Charles Karangwa insured the PS continued collaboration in scaling Nature Based Solutions, support in mobilizing Climate Finance for adaptation and support to recently launched Kenya Ambitious restoration plan to plant and grow 15 billion trees by 2030 in line with Kenya AFR100 and Bonn Challenge Commitment to restore 10.2 million hectares

IUCN committed to continue work with the Ministry in the effort to achieve their NDCs and NBSAP.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Director Programs Mr. Peterson Kamau, IUCN Joseph Njue, James Thonjo, CCD among others.