Mr. Hamisi Williams of FAO and Ms. Celline Achieng’ of LWF
On 23rd May 2023, the Laikipia Wildlife Forum (LWF) Executive Director, Celline Achieng,’ paid a courtesy call to the Deputy Country Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN, Mr. Hamisi Williams. Among the issues discussed were the current phase of implementation popularly referred to as LoA 3. LoA 3 simply means the third letter of agreement between the two partners, implying that it is not the first time LWF is working with FAO. There were previously LoA 1 and LoA 2.
Under LoA3, LWF has begun implementing a restoration and water resource management project dubbed ‘Restoration of Degraded Areas and Improvement in Water Accessibility in Il Ngwesi and Shulumai Community Lands and Institutional Support to Dupoto Co-operative Society in Mukogodo landscape.’ This project begun in June 2023 and will run till the end of March 2024.
FAO is implementing this project with funds from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The overall objective of the project is to restore deforested and degraded lands through the Forest and Landscape Restoration (FLR) approach as well as enhance the socio-economic development of local communities through development of bio-enterprises of Non-Timber Forest Products and Services (NFTPS) and other incentives (such as The Restoration Initiative (TRI)) in Arid and Semi-arid Lands (ASALs) of Laikipia, Isiolo and Marsabit Counties.
As one of the executing partners of FAO, LWF is contributing to this objective by supporting forest and landscape restoration through removal of an invasive species called Opuntia stricta and reseeding the land in Maiyanat Community, and establishing soil conservation and rangeland restoration interventions focused on micro catchments in Il Ngwesi and Lekurruki Community Lands.
In addition, LWF is facilitating Il Ngwesi Hay group in their efforts to restore land and generate income by planting hay on the community land. Further, LWF is undertaking to improve one water infrastructure in Il Ngwesi Community Lands in collaboration with Borana Conservancy.
It is expected that at the end of this project, the two partners will have set ground for improved and available pasture during dry seasons, restored land that was previously invaded by Opuntia stricta, enhanced soil fertility though reduction of surface runoffs, and improved availability of water.
LWF and FAO concluded this meeting by agreeing to work on a long term engagement for a greater impact.
