The PS for State Department of Irrigation was recently paid a courtesy visit by the Ms. Berglind Orradóttiris, Deputy Director of the GRÓ Land Restoration Training Program from the Agricultural University of Iceland and Dr. Johann Thorsson, a Senior Scientist with the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland.

The PS and the guest discussed areas of collaboration including capacity building and research on land reclamation programs, Land degradation assessment (LADA) and Mapping, Ecosystem water storage & restoration, Investments in green energy and use and recharge of groundwater.

The PS echoed the importance of further deepening the relationship with Iceland’s GRO-LRT given that Kenya requires expertise in land restoration, due to the widespread land degradation especially in the ASALs.

Official from the Ministry of Agriculture and other ministries will benefit from GRÓ Land Restoration Training Program capacity building on  land degradation assessment (LADA); land reclamation; mapping, ecosystem water storage & restoration; investments in green energy; and use and recharge of groundwater.

The restoration of Kenya’s water catchment areas, forests and rangelands is a priority of the Kenya Kwanza government’s BETA Agenda.

The delegation noted with much interest the wide range of actions and actors involved in land restoration related activities and looks forward to further collaborations.