Bungoma has joined the list of counties that have approved a policy on climate change.
This opens access to Sh50 million seed money for every ward per year for three years, totalling Sh6.7 billion.
The county assembly adopted the policy from the Department of International Development to support adaptation, mitigation and resilience building.
This will also include budgetary framework, further initiating and coordinating finance for community-level activities, among other measures.
“This policy will ensure proper maintenance and conservation of the environment to help curb climate impacts. This will be achieved through championing climate-smart agriculture, hence curbing malnutrition and waterborne diseases that arise from both drought and floods,” said Water and Environment CEC Renson Makheti.
Makheti further said the passing of the policy is very significant as it moves the county closer to accessing climate finance, including the Green Climate Fund, which, together with Bungoma's development budgets, will considerably increase their financial resources to mitigate climate change effects.
He expressed optimism that the policy will give a framework for actors in the environment sector to bring their synergies together for the benefit of residents.
Acting climate change director Jane Mukonambi thanked the MCAs, the county leadership and non-state actors for the support through out the policy formulation process.
"We have come far and we are happy to be among the first counties to pass the policy," she said.
Other policies that the select committee on Tourism, Water, Environment and Natural Resources adopted include county climate change finance policy 2020 and county environmental and social safeguard policy 2020.
-Edited by Sarah Kanyara
