Vihiga undertakes climate change resilience investments

Vihiga County intends to mitigate on climate change risks, by promoting water conservation measures, as well as undertaking soil erosion control efforts.

Governor Dr. Wilber Ottichilo, says his Administration has embarked on the implementation of the Ward Climate Change Planning Committees (WCCPCs), Risk Assessment Reports which identified the main challenges in the County.

Speaking during the capacity building forum for seven WCCPCs at the Christian Praise Centre Hall in Mbale town, the Governor stated that the County want to uproot the eucalyptus trees planted along the streams and replace them with indigenous species.

The County Head lamented that the planting of the heavy-sipping eucalyptus on riparian land had led to the drying-up of rivers, hence the need to replace them with the environment-friendly indigenous species.

Dr. Ottichilo also advised residents to use contours while farming on the slopes, so as to avoid soil erosion.

“Farmers are encouraged to use organic manures and composite manures, which improve soil structure and fertility instead of the inorganic fertilizers that eventually lower soil fertility,” he stated.

The Director of Greening Kenya Initiative Trust (GKIT), Peter Odhengo, who doubles as the World Bank-funded Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) Programme National Coordinator, commended the County for foregrounding climate change issues.

Odhengo specifically lauded the County for allocating two per cent of the Annual Budget for implementing Ward Climate Change resilience investments, against the nationally recommended 1.5 per cent.

The GKIT Director challenged the County Assembly to fast-track the Approval for the expenditure for the monies from the National Climate Change Fund, so that the WCCPCs are able to implement the Climate Change mitigation measures.