As the Kaptagat Integrated Conservation Programme (KICP) marks a decade of ecosystem recovery this July, the initiative is expanding its footprint to tackle severe environmental degradation in the Kerio Valley.
The expansion, according to the National Treasury Principal Secretary Dr. Chris Kiptoo the founder and patron of KICP targets a landscape under severe ecological stress brought about by decades of cultivating shallow rooted food crops like maize on the steep fragile slopes of the Kerio Escarpment which have loosened the topsoil.
This practice, he said, has triggered devastating, recurrent landslides and massive soil erosion during rainy seasons, threatening both human lives and local livelihoods.
Speaking in Tambach during the launch of the Kerio Valley Restoration Programme, the PS announced that KICP will now shift its attention to the Kerio Valley, which has borne the brunt of this continued environmental destruction.
To combat the erosion, the PS said KICP is introducing a climate-resilient economic model based on its successful framework in the Kaptagat Forest.
He said farmers in the valley will be provided with seedlings for high-value commercial crops, including coffee and avocados saying these deep-rooted trees are strategically chosen to anchor the fragile soil on the escarpment while offering households a sustainable source of income.
Additionally, Dr. Kiptoo noted that farmers will be encouraged to plant improved pasture varieties, specifically juncao grass, for their livestock. Juncao grass features an extensive, robust root system that acts as a natural barrier against soil erosion while simultaneously providing high-protein fodder to support zero-grazing dairy systems.
The PS regretted that farmers have continued relying on maize farming, which continually exacerbates landslide risks when heavy rains hit.
Accompanied by Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich, Dr. Kiptoo emphasized that the government is heavily investing to unlock the economic potential of the Kerio Valley, which he termed a “gold mine.”
As part of this transformation, Dr. Kiptoo said the national government will soon embark on constructing Phase II of the Yokot Dam which once completed, will secure a reliable water supply for domestic use and wide-scale irrigation throughout the arid valley.
He added that the government plans to construct a major highway cutting across the Kerio Valley from Marakwet East to Keiyo South which will connect the county to Kericho County.
” This infrastructure will open up the region, stabilizing the ecosystem while providing direct market access for the residents’ agricultural produce”, the PS said.
By Alice Wanjiru
