Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry Soipan Tuya has urged the Siaya County government to set a target for the enhancement of trees and forest cover.
This, she said, will help the county to recover from the current 0.42 percent forest cover.
Tuya disclosed that the government plan to enhance ecosystem restoration will require an upscale in tree and forest cover for better results.
The CS, who is overseeing the implementation of the Financing Locally Led Climate Action Program (FLLoca), a World Bank-funded program in 45 counties, commenced her tour in Siaya County on Friday.
According to the Treasury Cabinet Secretary, the government has already released more than 6 billion to address climate mitigation projects in 45 counties, excluding Nairobi and Mombasa due to their urban nature.
The Treasury report shows that already 75 million dollars are in the county treasury accounts, where 14 Lake Region Economic Bloc counties will access Sh1.3 billion.
Tuya noted that this move demonstrates the commitment to achieving the ecosystem restoration target across the country.
She mentioned that climate action is something they cannot negotiate by sidelining it to the county government or the national government, insisting that the project requires all-inclusive efforts.
The Cabinet Secretary called on the county, stating:
“This is a project that will also translate to job opportunities for our young people by planting trees to restore the ecosystem and also ensure food security,” the CS said.
Siaya Governor James Orengo, who welcomed the project, appreciated the government saying such projects are key to addressing the rampant climate change.
Orengo assured that as the county boss, he would ensure a turnaround of the embarrassing forest cover in Siaya by fencing and gazetting all the hilltops.
“I have requested the Cabinet Secretary to gazette all our hilltops as only two hilltops out of the 17 in Siaya are gazetted,” Orengo said.
The governor also requested the Cabinet Secretary to ensure that the Yala Delta is restored as it doesn’t have boundaries that lie between Busia and Siaya.
The county boss noted that before the program, Siaya had been bearing the brunt of climate change, especially during the devastating floods that have long been witnessed in Siaya.
“The effect of climate change in Siaya has been evident to the extent that the only ox-bow lake in Siaya, and the second-largest ox-bow lake in Africa, was on the brink of drying up,” Orengo revealed.
Orengo also acknowledged the project, noting that the project benefits the people as it will not only alleviate the hard economic times for some Kenyans.