The National Treasury has rolled out a Ksh34 billion programme that will fight climate change while lifting rural communities out of poverty.
On Monday, the Integrated Natural Resources Management Programme (INReMP) will benefit more than two million people who reside on the peripheries of the Cherangany Hills and Mau West water towers.
The initiative is funded by global partners like the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Green Climate Fund, and the Global Environment Facility.
The Treasury Principal Secretary Dr. Chris Kiptoo referred to the launch as a milestone in the conceptualization of rural development.
“This programme defends ecosystems while enabling farmers and vulnerable households to thrive in a shifting climate,” he further added.
INReMP will put individuals at the forefront and center of resource management with a strong focus on women, youth, and the poor and vulnerable. It also seeks to strengthen local institutions and promote climate-smart livelihoods.
In a huge boost, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has committed a Ksh325 million co-finance grant under its Climate Smart Agribusiness Partnerships for Resilience initiative.
The grant will be utilized to improve climate information systems, enabling farmers to make improved decisions and reduce risk posed by unpredictable weather.
In its evaluation of the programme, Treasury and its stakeholders IFAD, Agriculture and Environment Ministries included pledged to ramp up the initiative’s effects.
Kenya is establishing INReMP as a prototype for climate action from across the world. “This is about changing rural development to be inclusive, sustainable, and forward-looking,” Dr. Kiptoo said.
