Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Deborah Barasa, during the media breakfast meeting at KICC in Nairobi.
By Aoma Keziah,
The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry held a media breakfast meeting in Nairobi to update stakeholders on the Mount Elgon Integrated Conservation and Livelihoods Improvement Programme (Mt. Elgon–ICLIP).
The forum, presided over by Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa, brought together government agencies, conservation groups and development partners to review plans for restoring the Mount Elgon ecosystem, which has suffered years of degradation and deforestation.
CS Barasa said the initiative seeks to protect one of the country’s most vital natural assets while improving the livelihoods of communities that depend on it.
“In 2023, UNESCO designated the Mount Elgon Ecosystem as a Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, one of only two in Africa. This global recognition places a responsibility on all of us to preserve it for future generations,” she stated.
To raise national awareness, the ministry has set aside November 7 every year as Mount Elgon Day, a day dedicated to conservation activities and public education. The Principal Secretary for Mining has also been named Patron and Champion of the restoration efforts.
“Over 35,000 hectares of forest and 68,000 hectares of farmland around Mount Elgon are degraded, the Ministry will support this initiative through the provision of quality seedlings, technical expertise, and the promotion of green enterprises among youth and women,” remarked Gitonga Mugambi,Principal Secretary Forestry
Through the ten-year Mt. Elgon–ICLIP programme, the government plans to restore 103,000 hectares of forest, promote clean energy use, and create green jobs for surrounding communities. The initiative also aims to boost agricultural value chains and reduce pressure on natural resources.
According to the ministry, this programme aligns with Kenya’s 15 Billion Trees Initiative, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, and the National Climate Change Action Plan.
“Restoring Mount Elgon is not just an environmental priority but a national duty, when we conserve our ecosystems, we secure water, food, and livelihoods for millions of Kenyans,” Barasa concluded.
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