By Betty Luke
A three-year project seeking to promote tourism within the Samburu Isiolo Conservation Area (SICA) that covers Samburu National Park and Buffalo Springs Reserve is underway.
Stakeholders’ engagements on the review of the 10-year SICA management plan that expired in 2020 are ongoing in the two counties as both counties seek to build synergies to ensure they mutually benefit from the natural resources.
Apart from helping the counties maximize on their revenue, the project will also accelerate conservation efforts within the national reserves.
Funded by The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants program, the initiative is being implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in partnership with the Merti Integrated Development Program (MID-P).
MID-P program’s manager Ibrahim Kabelo said adequate stakeholders’ engagement would be carried out for maximum benefit for the local communities especially those neighbouring the parks.
“We are working closely with the Tourism departments to help the county governments maximize their revenue collection while the communities will receive financial support to undertake conservation interventions within the parks,” he told The Press Point.
Grassroots organizations including Youth, Women groups and Community-Based Organizations will access grants of between Sh3.9 million and Sh5 million to undertake interventions on climate change mitigation, conservation and water management.
Additionally, the program will support the establishment of a multi-stakeholder forum that will support the management of resources within the conservation area.
Isiolo County Tourism Executive Lawrence Mwongela hailed the project saying it would greatly help in preservation of the ecosystem.
“Tourism contributes more than 70 percent of the county’s revenue meaning there is a need to put in proper measures that protect our parks,” he said.
He called on the residents living within the target area to embrace the initiative noting it would address some of the issues that were affecting them.
“If communities are supported to undertake conservation work, they will coexist peacefully with the wildlife. We hope that the program will encourage the residents to embrace wildlife and take care of them,” added Dr Mwongela.
Participants Anab Kasim and Grace Lolim said the initiative would promote a peaceful coexistence among the diverse communities living within the two parks.
