The Cabinet Secretary for East African Community, ASALs, and Regional Development, Beatrice Askul, has inaugurated the Oloitoktok Integrated Conservation and Livelihood Programme.
The ten-year programme aims to promote sustainable environmental practices, improve resource management, and provide income-generating opportunities for the local community through a variety of projects.
Speaking during the inauguration at Entarara Primary School, the CS said that the programme will focus on capacity building, sustainable agriculture, eco-tourism, and green technologies with an aim to promote long-term environmental and socio-economic resilience in the region.
“By enhancing key value chains in agriculture, livestock, and eco-tourism, this initiative will provide the local community with practical tools to adapt to climate change while also contributing to the national agenda of economic development,” said the CS.
To conserve the environment, the programme will work to protect forests, promote reforestation and afforestation, safeguard wildlife, and support biodiversity.
The initiative will also contribute significantly to combating desertification and reversing land degradation by engaging in sustainable land management.
The CS further remarked that the project aims to enhance household incomes by developing key agricultural and livestock value chains, with areas of focus being the value addition and processing of tomatoes and mangoes, dairy and beef production, beekeeping, and the leather value chain.
The programme will focus on drought mitigation by improving access to water through the development of water pans, dams, and boreholes. This will also support livestock management during dry seasons and ensure a more resilient water supply system for both humans and animals.
The initiative, which is in alignment with Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, specifically Goal 17, which emphasises the need to revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development, was inaugurated in collaboration with Ewaso Ngiro South Development Authority (ENDSA), Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA), Water Resource Authority (WRA), WWF-Kenya, the County Government of Kajiado, the Kajiado South CDF, and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), among many others that will come onboard.
To kick-start the programme, the CS and the partners handed over 16 improved cattle breeds to 16 women’s groups, 6000 fruit tree seedlings, 150 beehives and beekeeping equipment to the Entarara Community Forest Association, assorted beadwork material for 10 women’s groups, ecotourism support supplies for the Loitokitok Community Forest Association, and 10,000 assorted tree seedlings.
The CS noted that the programme’s sustainability will be ensured through a focus on efficient resource management, community participation, and financial stability.
“The active involvement of the local community will foster a sense of ownership, ensuring that these initiatives are sustained beyond the programme’s timeline,” said the CS
The programme will also be closely aligned with existing national policies and regulations, ensuring that it complements government efforts and secures institutional backing.
She encouraged all stakeholders to work together, share knowledge, and build a future where environmental sustainability and economic prosperity go hand in hand to secure a sustainable future for all.
The CS was accompanied by the Principal Secretary for ASALs and Regional Development, Harsama Kello; the Area Member of Parliament, Sakimba Parashina; along with Chairpersons and Managing Directors of the various Regional Development Authorities
By Diana Meneto