Lodwar, April 19, 2024 (Public Communications and Media Relations)

Turkana County Government, through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Natural Resources, and Climate Change ramped up its efforts to address climate change by spearheading stakeholder engagement with the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) program, Minimum Access Conditions (MAC), and Minimum Performance Conditions (MPC).

To secure funding under the FLLoCA program, counties were tasked with establishing county climate finance institutions, including a County Climate Change Fund and a County Climate Change Unit, and conducting a participatory climate risk assessment, and action planning at the ward levels.

Speaking on behalf of Director for Climate Change, Kevin Ojiem, Climate Change Officer underscored the collaborative nature, emphasizing its role in climate change mitigation and adaptation.

“We are at a critical stage in our fight against climate change, and decisive action is imperative to protect our county and its inhabitants,” he emphasized.

Ecosystem Conservator at Kenya Forest Service, Richard Guya, highlighted the importance of Climate Change Resilience Investment (CCRI) grants in supporting the FLLoCA program’s objectives, emphasizing the need for locally-led strategies to combat climate change’s impacts effectively.

During a plenary session, Deputy Director for Natural Resources, Pauline N’goli, emphasized the significance of grassroots efforts in making climate change mitigation a reality. She stated that Turkana County, among the 45 counties qualifying for the program, is at the forefront of these efforts.

Other key officials attending the meeting included Francis Emanikor (Environmental Officer-NEMA), Frederick Rukoo (Deputy Director Design and Planning Water Services), Thomas Kiyon’ga (Deputy Director Climate Change), and Karoi Sammy (Director Administration), among others.