JOHNSON CHENGO
The National and County government of Kilifi have been tasked to take the lead in creating carbon credit awareness for its citizens who are involved in Mangrove conservation.
Gro with Us founder Paul Flynn, emphasised that proper and elaborated interventions of carbon credit awareness would not only improve the rresident’seconomy but also mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
Speaking to the media at Kidundu village after successfully planting over 10,000 mangrove seedlings in Kilifi North constituency, Kilifi County, Paul said the initiative is possible because of the mangrove forest restoration and the conservation efforts.
He said mangrove carbon harvesting facilitates a key bridge of trust between international communities and i market-based approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, where individuals and organisations can earn credits by conserving forests.
”I want to urge both the national and the county government of Kilifi to provide support and resources for training and education on carbon credits as well as facilitate the establishment of carbon credit marketplace to enable local communities to benefit from their conservation efforts,” said Paul.
The carbon can then be sold to entities that need to offset their omissions. Mangroves are known to be an effective carbon sink, as they absorb and store large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
”If this initiative is embraced and done in good faith kilifi will be generating thousands of carbon tonnes annually, thereby earning incomes and creating a massive opportunity for connecting local people to the global community,” he added.
Gro with us Africa managing director Kelly Banda said the objective of the NGO is targeting to restore gradation in Kilifi County.
He said the project is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals {SDG} and President William Ruto’s Vision 2030 agenda to increase forest cover by 10 per cent.
”We are doing this initiative in line with the government and also trying to help the community in terms of livelihoods. We have engaged the community in beehive keeping and fishponds so that the economic status of the locals can change to better lives,” said Band.
The NGO has already planted more than 2.5 million mangrove seedlings in Kidundu and Watamu in Kilifi County.
Banda, however, said the mangrove forest restoration and conservation project done by the Gazi Bay community-based organization in Kwale County is worth to be emulated.
Kilifi is among the coastal counties whose mangrove forests were endangered by the illegal cutting down of trees for timber and charcoal burning by residents.
In 2018 the government imposed a ban on mangrove harvesting to fight environmental destruction, protect water catchment areas and mitigate the effects of drought across the country.
However, it was lifted in Lamu County in 2019 after the government considered the plight of the local communities who largely depended on mangroves for their livelihoods.
In the Coast region, mangroves are found in Kilifi, Mombasa, Kwale, Tana River and Lamu along the Indian Ocean.
The total area covered by Mangrove trees in the country s estimated at 61270 Hectares with Lamu County having the biggest area.
Mtongani -Kidundu Self Help group chairman Stephen Chivatsi said the illegal logging of mangroves will not be a major threat if the residents will be taught the benefit of carbon credit making.
He also urges the government to set aside more budgetary allocations and come up with better policies that will enhance mangrove conservation and empower communities.
