Garissa residents observe World Wetlands Day as leaders champion for environmental conservation

A green initiative took root as Garissa County residents actively participated in tree-planting activities, symbolising a commitment to environmental sustainability.

Garissa County marked the significance of World Wetlands Day on February 2, joining the global celebration dedicated to the preservation of wetland ecosystems.

The pivotal event, spearheaded by Mulki Mohamed Dekow, Director of Environment and Natural Resources, unfolded at the Young Muslims Girls High School.

Preceding the event, Dekow orchestrated a thorough cleanup along Kismayo Road in Garissa Central Business District, emphasising the county's dedication to fostering a cleaner, greener community.

In a video captured by the Eastleigh Voice, the Garissa County Government collaborated with the Kenya Red Cross Society. Together, they embarked on a mission to cleanse the town's streets, diligently collecting and responsibly disposing of waste, fortifying the community's resolve towards a healthier environment.

"We are urging residents to be guardians of the vital ecosystems and commit to their preservation for a sustainable future," she said.

Preserve forest cover

Environmentalists and leaders in Garissa at the same time urged farmers along the River Tana in Garissa to preserve the forest cover to mitigate floods during the rainy season.

The County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture and Livestock Hassan Abdirizack speaking at the event, said more than 7,000 farmers recently lost their livelihoods due to the destructions caused by the El Nino floods.

He said the submerged farms were a result of massive degradation of the forest cover.

“We should learn lessons from the impact of the El Nino floods and conserve the soil and trees in the Wetland region,” said Hassan.

The CECM noted that wanton destruction of the environment as a result of emerging new settlements forced the county government to draft a Village Administration Bill aiming to put control and measures that will preserve Wetlands and Rangelands against destruction.

The North Eastern regional research officer from Kenya Forestry Research Institute(KEFRI) Amina Maalim Aden, urged the communities living along the river to conserve the environment along the river to mitigate floods that were wreaking havoc on both settlements and farmlands.

She stated that KEFRI, in collaboration with Garissa University and other partner organisations, will implement a programme aimed at improving the conservation of soil and water along the river to reduce the impact of the floods.

“We are also introducing forest technologies to enhance forest cover and climate resilience to protect the Wetlands against further destruction,” she said.

The National Environmental Management Authority North Eastern regional director Patrick Lekenit expressed concern about the wanton destruction of the environment in the region.

He appealed to all stakeholders to sensitise the local communities to protect the environment in Wetland areas along the river to reduce the disastrous impact of the floods.

Environment Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya also commemorated the day at Lake Narasha (Timboroa Dam) in Uasin Gishu County. Tuya inaugurated the fencing of the dam marking it as an important water catchment and one of Kenya's rare bird sanctuaries.

World Wetlands Day is celebrated to raise awareness about wetlands to reverse their rapid loss and encourage actions to conserve and restore them.

The day also marks the anniversary of the Convention on Wetlands, which was adopted as an international treaty in 1971.

This year the theme for World Wetlands Day 2024 is "Wetlands and Human Wellbeing".

According to the National Management Authority (NEMA), the theme for 2024 underscores how all aspects of human well-being are tied to the health of the world's wetlands.

"This year's campaign spotlights how interconnected wetlands and human life are, with people drawing sustenance, inspiration and resilience from these productive ecosystems. It calls on each of us to value and steward our wetlands," the Authority said.

It added that nearly 90 per cent of the world's wetlands have been degraded since the 1700s, and is continuously losing wetlands three times faster than forests.

Human activities such as drainage and infilling for agriculture and construction, pollution, overfishing and overexploitation of resources, invasive species and climate change have been pointed out as the cause of wetlands degradation.