Conservation efforts in the country received a major boast when the Kenyan government received KES 2.4B grant from the European Union and the Danish government.
The EU will provide KES 1B while the Danish government under DANIDA will give KES 1.4B in the four year project.
Lake Naivasha will benefit from KES18m which will go towards the rehabilitation of the degraded water catchment area.
According to the Danish Embassy Chief Finance officer Rashpal Singh aspects of climate change and renewable energy would also be addressed under the programme.
He said that the main objective was to reduce poverty through empowering communities to initiate environmental conservation projects.
Kalsi said that DANIDA through its environmental support programme had provided KES 800m toward environmental project in the country between 2007 and 2010.
“These projects resulted in a 50 percent increase in awareness and knowledge of environmental management and poverty alleviation,” he said.
On Lake Naivasha, the officer said that they would donate KES 18m to support the rehabilitation of the degraded catchment area.
“The funds will be used to in support of community micro-enterprises and this confirms the importance of this country towards environmental conservation,” he said.
Kalsi was speaking in Karagita Naivasha during the launch of the Lake Naivasha Conservation and Development Organization which received the funds.
The organization chairman Paul Ruoya noted that the funds would go along way in restoring the catchment area.
He said that the funds would go towards improving livelihoods in the catchment and pointed to tree nurseries, dam rehabilitation and the jiko programme as the key points.
“Currently all is okay in the catchment area due to the ongoing rains but the biggest concern we have is water conservation before the dry season comes in,” he said.
Mr Joseph Ruhiu from the Community Development Trust Fund (CDTF) challenged the organization to use the funds as required.
“Over 4,000 NGOs applied to get conservation funding and only 97 got the funds and let’s see the fruits of you work soon,” he said.
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyNews24 have been independently written by members of News24's community. The views of users published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24. News24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.