Kenya-EU launch multi-million-dollar water project

By Magdalene Mukami

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - Kenya and the European Union on Thursday signed a 31 million euro [$35.2 million] deal to rehabilitate the country’s water tower ecosystems in the Mt. Elgon and the Cherangani Hills.

Human activity, deforestation and land encroachment have threatened to extinguish the two water catchment areas; the damage was so severe experts warned that in a few years, if nothing is done, Kenya might lose one of its main water sources.

Speaking during the project launch, European Union ambassador to Kenya Stefano Dejak said the program, which will take six years to reach completion, will help eradicate poverty in the two critical ecosystems.

Kenyan Environment Minister Judi Wakhungu said that program would improve the quality and quantity of ecosystem services provided by the two water towers. She said this would lead to increased benefits to communities from forest, agriculture and agro-forestry land-use systems.