Environment and Climate Change Principal Secretary Eng. Festus Ng’eno earlier today hosted an International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) delegation led by Country Representative and Director Ms. Mariatu Kamara at the Ministry’s headquarters.

The meeting discussed the Government and IFAD entry meeting on the GEF-8 child project including the design of Kenya’s 3rd Water Fund in the Yala River Basin.

The ‘whole-of-government, whole-of-society’ approach has been adopted by the Ministry to protect threatened watersheds.

The approach involves collaborative partnerships by all stakeholders, including Government agencies, NGOs, local communities, and the private sector among other identified stakeholders.

The government therefore is prioritizing investing in the conservation and restoration of critical watershed areas to safeguard water resources for both people and nature.

The project is of great importance in Kenya’s conservation agenda as it will be the first Women-led Water Fund in Africa under the GEF-8 programming, with a total funding of USD 8 million, inclusive of GEF incentive funds.

The initiative demonstrates President Ruto’s Government’s commitment to innovative approaches to watershed management and emphasizes the empowerment of women in environmental conservation efforts.