Director Groots Kenya Fridah Githuku addressing media in Nakuru during a workshop on climate change.
There is need for counties to increase budgetary allocation in order to address challenges that come with climate change.
Addressing media in Gilgil, Nakuru county last weekend during a consultative workshop that brought together staff from the county government of Laikipia, Groots Kenya-NGO, representatives from the British army and international partners, the Director Groots Kenya Fridah Githuku said rising temperatures, flash floods and shifting agriculture seasons, winds and storms are some of the challenges occasioned by climate change in Laikipia county.
“The interventions are so many and so wide but the thing is can they fit within our budget as a county?Do we have enough allocation in terms of budget from the national government as well as county?” she said.
According to her, with increased budgetary allocation for climate mitigation projects like tree growing then it makes it possible to check on shifting agriculture seasons.
She added that the county Integrated Development Plans should be actualized in all counties in order to become climate resilient.
“The county Integrated Development Plans should be actualized and issues of climate change strongly integrated…For instance, construction of dams, for Example, would work well to check on flash floods thus ensuring that there is enough water for irrigation and domestic use,” she said.
On his part, Major Peter Burton from the British Army Training Unit Kenya(BATUK) said that as part of the community engagement, they have been involved in several projects including water harvesting.
Some of the projects they are involved in include doing dams and boreholes considering that Laikipia County has been facing acute water shortage.
“BATUK is committed to working with partners in the community on helping them on water harvesting in Laikipia by doing dams and boreholes.When we work together we are able to address the issues affecting people in Laikipia,” said Major Burton.
He added that BATUK has also participated in tree growing in conjunction with the National Environment management authority –NEMA.
Pastoralist communities that also participated in the workshop said that they have so far adopted climate mitigation strategies among them water harvesting and tree growing.
David Wanjohi- a representative from Laikipia Civil Society Organisation said the project was paramount in Laikipia County which has faced a challenge of climate change.
“The key focus has been Laikipia because we have been faced with challenges of climate change and the county has no water source since all the forest water catchment area is in other neighboring counties so the project is paramount,” he said.
The focus of the Workshop was to enable stakeholders to discuss the impacts of climate change in Laikipia County, necessary adaptations, financial costs and the time frames during which the adaptations can be aligned into County Development Plans.