The National government has partnered with non-governmental organizations and other state actors to conserve River Kipsaina water catchment area in Trans Nzoia county through tree planting.
Tree distribution exercise sponsored by Kipsaina Cranes and Wetland Conservation Group will help in protecting the river which is crucial for the livelihood of Saiwa national park.
“The Interior Ministry supports the conservation of this river which is the life-stream for the endangered Sitatunga antelope through the planting of trees to provide them an environment to survive,” Bondeni Kipsaina location chief Samson Kago said during the tree planting exercise at Kipsaina.
Kago assured the organizations that collectively with other government entities including the county government of Trans-Nzoia’s Department of Environment, NEMA, and WARMA, they will enforce the law on the conservation of the riparian land including eradicating sand harvesting from the river banks.
Kipsaina Cranes and Wetland Conservation Group, a nongovernmental organization has already issued 200 farmers with indigenous tree seedlings to boost the venture.
The Conservation Group director, Maurice Wanjala Sitoko, said each farmer whose land is adjacent to the stream will receive 100 indigenous trees to plant on the river banks as one of the ways to prevent soil erosion.
“After being bestowed the Disney conservation hero I decided to give back the same measure to the community by planting seedlings which am distributing free to the farmers in my area,” said Sitiko.
He said his organization together with other environmental organizations including International crane’s foundation; endangered world life trust, are working with the government institutions for the protection of the wetland areas, with an aim to plant over 20, 0000 indigenous trees during the rainy season.
Mr. Wanjala added that apart from the conservation of the river Kipsaina the indigenous trees can also be part of the tourist attraction hence boosting the tourism sector in the area.
“Apart from my passion for environmental and wildlife conservation, am looking forward to setting up a research centre in this place because we have many students interested in courses like environmental science and botany,” Mr. Wanjala said., adding he intends to call for a stakeholders meeting to train farmers on beekeeping because bees do well near the water sources and the honey market is lucrative.
