Three NOREB Counties sign agreement to conserve river Kerio Ecosystem.
As a way of conserving the environment and also addressing the impacts of climate change, three counties under the North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB) today entered into an agreement to counter the adverse effects of climate change.
Governors of Baringo, Stanley Kiptis, Elgeyo Marakwet, Alex Tolgos and a representative of West Pokot Governor John Lonyangapuo met at Kambi Samaki to sign the agreement which was overseen by Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago who doubles up as NOREB chair.
Governors drawn from the devolved units appended their signatures on the Kerio River Ecosystem Inter County Climate Change Cooperation Agreement in an event organized by the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) and UKAid among other partners.
Mandago, said that idea was conceived so that it can address the increasing vulnerabilities to climate change by pastoralists and crop-farming communities in the three counties bringing the need to enhance involvement of county governments in active climate action activities.
“The signing of a Climate Change Governance Cooperation Agreement for the conservation of the Kerio River Ecosystem will see to it that environmental conservation becomes key to food and human security “
Mandago further reiterated that one of Noreb’s programs is conserving the environment as is fronted by the Eldoret City Marathon, whose pillar is planting of trees for improved forest cover and climate action.
“Most of Noreb catchment has the best grounds for horticulture. This region can produce every fruit for this country This, however, cannot be leveraged if environmental conservation is not taken seriously.,” said Mandago
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Baringo Governor Stanley Kiptis said that the ecosystem climate change pact will assist the counties grow economically at the same time conserving the already damaged ecosystem.
Kiptis stated that environmental conservation will automatically result to wildlife conservation hence leading to tourism boost, saying that the region is rich in terms of tourism.
Gov Tolgos affirmed that climate change is real in the region and the signing will go a long way in bringing stability in the three counties.
“We have enough resources in our region if we only manage it well. Through NOREB we will be able to harmonize issues to deal with climate change and also whatever we have signed here today we will actualize it” he said.
NCCK Secretary General Canon Peter Karanja, Northrift Economic Bloc (NOREB) Chief Executive Officer Dominic Biwott among other leaders were also present
The partnership is between NOREB and the NCCK which is being funded by UKAID through it’s Deepening Democracy Programme (DDP) and it is aimed at enhancing the adaptive capacities of community members in the target areas while driving climate change mainstreaming processes in county planning for the three county governments, with a view of a participatory approach to the creation of linkages and the implementation of sustainable interventions.
