Lodwar 10th July 2024 (Public Communication and Media Relations)

To address the pressing issue of climate change and its impact on the region, the County government of Turkana in collaboration with the African Population Health Research Center (APHRC) has launched the Visibilize for Climate Action Project in Turkana.

The project, funded by the Wellcome Trust and facilitated by the APHRC, aims to make visible the effects of climate change on the nutritional status of children under five, and women of reproductive age, as well as the mental health of vulnerable populations in East African drylands.

Speaking at the inception of the project, Deputy Governor Dr John Erus emphasized the importance of the climate change project, in engaging the community to understand the impact of climate change on their lives to identify solutions to support mitigation efforts.

He noted the Governor’s Nine-Point Agenda that outlines Water access and food security, among others, as key priorities, all of which are directly affected by climate change.

“Pastoralist movement across international borders of Uganda, Southern Sudan, and Ethiopia, is a clear demonstration that climate change has largely impacted Turkana,” DG added.

The APHRC Lead and Senior Research Scientist, Dr. Elizabeth Kimani, explained that the Visibilize4ClimateAction Project will work with grassroots organizations to build their capacity to engage with communities and improve their understanding of the interconnections between climate change, food systems, nutrition, and health.

The University of Nairobi’s Department of Agricultural Economics representative, Dr. Evans Chimoita, reiterated the project’s collaborative-participatory approach to gathering local knowledge that informs policy and practice changes that address local problems in line with Turkana’s 9-Point Agenda.

The Climate Action Project will be implemented in Turkana, Samburu, and Laikipia Counties in Kenya, to catalyze context-specific climate policy and practice change at scale.