Tana River County is set to benefit from the Weather and Climate Information Services for Africa (WISER) Kenya project in an effort mitigate climate risks in the floods and drought prone county.
Funded by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and coordinated by the IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Center (ICPAC), the project seeks to provide local communities with critical climate information to improve disaster preparedness and resilience against extreme weather events.
The WISER Kenya project will see the creation of a County Climate Information Service (CCIS) that will streamline and disseminate essential climate updates to local farmers and community leaders through regular updates accessible on mobile platforms.
“This project is about harnessing weather and climate information to improve local resilience. It aims to strengthen the adaptive capacity of communities to face extreme weather events and disasters,” said Calistas Wachana of ICPAC.
Speaking at the project launch, Tana River Environment and Climate Change CEC Mathew Baboya announced that Tana River County has committed over Ksh92 million from its development budget to support climate initiatives, including water access, climate-smart agriculture, and mangrove restoration in the Tana Delta.
“As Kenya works to create a sustainable future, WISER’s launch marks a significant milestone in local climate adaptation efforts. With continued partnership, the project promises to reduce the impact of climate extremes and empower communities with the tools to safeguard lives and livelihoods,” he said.
His sentiments were echoed by the County’s Coordinator for Gender Issues Millicent Akinyi who noted that the project will not only benefit farmers but also women, children, and persons with disabilities who are vulnerable during disasters.
“This project will impact not only Tana River but also Garissa, given the shared challenges, particularly during floods and droughts. It will allow us to gather accurate data on vulnerable populations to inform county planning and budgeting,” she stated.
