This archive report was first published on 11 May 2020.
Published on May 11, 2020, Nandi County is taking a bold step towards environmental conservation and economic diversification by piloting bamboo cultivation in the region.
The initiative, in collaboration with the Kenya Water Towers Agency, aims to replace eucalyptus plantations in wetlands and sloppy ecosystems prone to mudslides with bamboo, which is ideal for conservation efforts.
County Executive Committee member for Lands Philemon Bureti explained that a 50-acre land at Kibirong wetlands in Aldai sub-county has been identified for demonstration purposes and to provide seedlings to local farmers.
According to Bureti, perennial mudslides and floods experienced in some regions of Nandi county following heavy rains would be tamed once farmers embrace large-scale cultivation of bamboo.
“Bamboo is ideal in conservation efforts since it is fast-growing and its roots are a good soil holder and ideal for the fragile ecosystems,” said Bureti.
