The National Treasury has proposed Sh124.8 billion for environmental conservation, climate change response, water security, and sustainable natural resource management in the 2026/27 national budget.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi said the allocations are aimed at strengthening ecosystem protection, enhancing climate resilience, expanding forest cover, and improving access to clean water, sanitation, and irrigation to support long-term economic sustainability.
He noted that environmental investments remain critical to safeguarding natural capital, boosting agricultural productivity, and supporting livelihoods, especially in rural and climate-vulnerable areas.
Mbadi said Sh13.4 billion has been allocated for forest resources conservation and management, alongside Sh1.7 billion for forest research and development.
An additional Sh3.2 billion will support tree-growing initiatives aimed at increasing national forest cover and restoring degraded landscapes.
The government has also allocated Sh4.7 billion for environment management and protection programmes, Sh8.9 billion for the Kenya Financing Locally Led Climate Action Project, and Sh1.8 billion for meteorological services to improve weather forecasting and climate monitoring.
To enhance urban environmental management, Sh2.5 billion has been set aside for solid waste management in Nairobi.
Wildlife conservation and ecosystem protection will receive Sh13 billion, with Sh1.2 billion allocated for wildlife research and development.
Additional provisions include Sh1.1 billion for human-wildlife conflict mitigation and Sh800 million for wildlife insurance to support affected communities.
The largest share of the allocation, Sh51.5 billion, will go towards water and sewerage infrastructure development. A further Sh6.3 billion is earmarked for water resource management, while Sh2.5 billion will support water storage and flood control initiatives.
On irrigation development, Sh1.1 billion has been allocated for irrigation and drainage works, Sh1.8 billion for large-scale commercial irrigation, Sh3.3 billion for community-managed irrigation schemes, and Sh3 billion for public irrigation projects.
An additional Sh1.6 billion will support the revitalisation of irrigation systems in arid and semi-arid regions (ASALs).
The CS said the investments are designed to strengthen climate resilience, improve food security, and ensure sustainable water access across the country.
During the 2025/2026 budget, Treasury allocated Sh103.5 billion to the water and environment sector.
In the 2024-2025 Budget, the government allocated Sh97.7 billion to the water and environment sector.
The funds were spread across key subsectors aimed at improving water access, sanitation, and environmental conservation in line with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
