The Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) and Ecobank has rolled out a tree planting and essay writing exercise for primary school learners in Kisumu and Kajiado counties where 1,000 trees are set to be planted to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Speaking during a tree planting exercise at Victoria Primary School in Kisumu, LVBC Executive Secretary Dr. Masinde Bwire said that the activities are meant to sensitize students on the negative effects of climate change.
He added that the activities will lead to the annual Lake Victoria Basin Regional Scientific Conference which will be held this month in Mugumu town, Tanzania which is part of the annual Mara Day celebrations marked on September 15.
Bwire noted that the conference will bring all stakeholders together to address the challenges facing the Mara and develop sustainable mechanisms to conserve the unique ecosystem.
He said positive results have been attained since Kenya and Tanzania signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2012 to enforce transboundary management of the ecosystem.
Both countries, he said, continue to benefit immensely from the ecosystem, which brings in foreign exchange besides supporting agriculture and providing a steady supply of water to millions of people around the region.
“The ecosystem has been beneficial to the two countries. We continue to see a huge influx of tourists who flock to the area to witness the wildebeest migration,” he said.
Bwire added that LVBC has taken the lead in coordinating agencies tasked with the responsibility of conserving the ecosystem given its importance to the region.
Ecobank Western Region Manager Thedias Okwaro said that students from the two countries who will excel in the essay competition will be feted during the Mara Day celebrations.
By Fredrick Odiero
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