By Bob Aston and Sam Nzioka
The objectives of the project are; To
lobby for the development of climate change adaptation framework informed by National
Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP)/National Climate Change Response Strategy
(NCCRS), to enhance communities capacity to adopt climate smart agricultural
practices for improved livelihoods and to enhance communities access to usable
information and knowledge on climate change adaptation for increased resilience.
Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN)
has begun a one year project implementation on climate change on behalf of Act!
Change! Transform! (ACT). ALIN held a stakeholders consultative meeting at
Beisa Hotel in Nanyuki town on May 28, 2014 to highlight and deliberate on
climate change issues in the county and how it would partner with various
stakeholders to effectively implement the project.
Speaking during the meeting Noah
Lusaka, Project Manager-ALIN said that the main objective of the meeting was to
brief other stakeholders about the project so that they can identify areas
which they can work together and also learn from other stakeholders doing
similar projects.
“The Project will build the capacities of
communities on a range of adaptation practices including water harvesting techniques
and use of mobile irrigation technology for increased food production,” said
Noah.
The project goal is to enhance
community resilience to adapt to the impacts of climate change for improved
livelihood in Kajiado, Baringo and Laikipia counties.
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| Noah taking participants through the project |
The project is aimed at strengthening
policy formulation infrastructure at national and county level. The project
will tackle a number of issues to address inadequate community capacity and
lack of access to appropriate information on climate change adaptation and
mitigation strategies.
Noah said that the project will be
underpinned by three key approaches which will include capacity building of
partner communities and of ALIN, introduction and promotion of new climate
smart agriculture technologies; documentation and dissemination of locally
developed innovations; and knowledge management to ensure exchange of usable
information and knowledge utilizing conventional and modern information and
communication technologies (ICTs).
He said that the project is underpinned
by three unique innovations as follows; The introduction of Mobile Irrigation
Technology, use of bulk SMS to deliver timely and authoritative information to
large numbers of farmers and Farm Records Management Information System (FARMIS-Kenya).
On her part Margaret Maina, Laikipia
County Meteorological services Director thanked ALIN for holding the inception
meeting. She said not many organizations hold such meetings thus leading to
duplication of projects.
Margaret said that it is important
for people to gather synergy and work together in order to address persistent
change in weather pattern.
“Stakeholders should bring together
resources and also work together for better development,” said Margaret.
The project will play a key role in
lobbying for inclusion of climate change in County Integrated Development Plan
(CIDP) and allocation of finances to support climate change.
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