Bomet County stakeholder engagement meeting for its draft Riparian Land Protection Policy, a significant step towards environmental conservation.
Policy discussions, spearheaded by the Department of Water, Environment, Sanitation, Natural Resources and Climate Change and the Mara Water Resources Users Association, focused on mapping and demarcation of riparian zones, enforcing a strict 30-meter buffer, and banning eucalyptus and other invasive tree species in sensitive areas.
Stakeholders emphasized the long-term benefits of healthy riparian ecosystems for water security and biodiversity, assuring that community livelihoods would be considered.
A key aspect of the meeting was the emphasis on community sensitization and education, recognizing that successful implementation hinges on local understanding and participation, as well as promoting sustainable nature-based livelihoods, biodiversity and water security.
The consensus highlighted the need for a collaborative approach, ensuring that the policy is not just enforced, but embraced by the very communities it seeks to protect.
To actualize the implementation of the policy, Bomet seeks to allocate upto 15 percent – under Green Enterprise Fund – of the budgetary allocation to the department of Water, Sanitation Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change.
The forum brought together a diverse group including local community representatives, farmers, environmentalists, government officials from various departments and learning institutions, and civil society organizations.
