By Albert Mwangeka
Taita Taveta County, Kenya: The Forest and Landscape Restoration Implementation Plan (FOLAREP) has taken a significant step forward in Taita Taveta County. The technical working group is now ready with a draft for public participation.
This plan will help rehabilitate 226,420ha of land in Taita Taveta County.
The County’s environment Committee has endorsed the draft, bringing Governor Mwadime’s conservation efforts closer to fruition.
The endorsement signifies progress in the localization of the restoration plan, with the technical working group now preparing notes for public participation. Grantone Mwandawiro, the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of Water, Sanitation, Environment, Climate Change, and Natural Resources commended the diligent efforts of the technical working group and the secretariat.
Mwandawiro highlighted the strategic plan’s focus on rehabilitating land in a gender-transformative and equitable environment. He expressed excitement that the finalized document will promote inclusive landscape restoration and implement evidence-based recommendations to reduce local emissions.
Elizabeth Mbinga, CCO Environment, Climate Change, and Natural Resources, emphasized the milestone’s significance, pointing out the substantial benefits it will bring to Taita Taveta County. “By reducing the effects of global warming and greenhouse emissions, the plan aims to positively impact the local population,” she remarked during the workshop at Voi Wildlife Lodge.
Project Communications Lead Ann Wavinya underlined the importance of community involvement, stating that the draft’s endorsement reflects the locals’ commitment to finding solutions that boost food security and benefit grassroots residents.
Climate Change Director John Mlamba stressed the need to present points to citizens in an easy language during the FOLAREP public exercise, enabling them to understand better and contribute to restoration efforts.
The creation of the FOLAREP document, supported by CIFOR-ICRAF and the Food Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations FAO under the UK-Pact-Nbs project, aims to restore 226,420ha of land in Taita Taveta County. This initiative aligns perfectly with Governor Andrew Mwadime’s manifesto, which places great emphasis on conserving the environment within a sustainable framework.
The next steps in developing the document will include public participation, a Stakeholders Validation Workshop, Cabinet engagement for further refinement, County Assembly adoption of the plan, the anticipated Governor’s signing, the official launch of the plan, and further enhancement of the Capacity of CECMs.
The comprehensive FOLAREP Plan encompasses various regions within the county, including rangelands, agricultural lands, wetlands, catchments, croplands, woodlands, riparian areas, watersheds, road reserves, forested land, and urban areas.
Furthermore, this ambitious plan aligns with the county’s long-term resolute commitment to sustainable development, aiming to plant 36 million trees annually, with an ambitious goal of planting 360 million trees over the next decade.
“This ten-year endeavour not only aims to rehabilitate 360,000 hectares of land but also seeks to increase our current tree cover from 8% to 30% and forest cover from 3.4% to 10%,” concluded CECM Mwandawiro, emphasizing the transformative impact of this ambitious reforestation initiative.
As the FOLAREP Plan progresses, it is expected to bring about a positive transformation in Taita Taveta County, not only in terms of ecological restoration but also in fostering community engagement and sustainable development.
