Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (Tree Planting Ceremony for Special Seedlings in Kalimani Earth Dam)
2016/4/26
| Title | Tree Planting Ceremony for Special Seedlings for The Project for the Rehabilitation of Kalimani Earth Dam |
| Date | 26th April 2016 |
| Location | Kalimani Location, Matinyani Division, Matinyani District, Kitui County |
| Project Title | The Project for the Rehabilitation of Kalimani Earth Dam |
| Amount | US$ 101,159 (Approx. 9.1 Kshs) |
| Attendance |
Total of about 400 participants
|
| Main Activity | The tree planting ceremony for special seedlings for “The Project for the Rehablitation of Kalimani Earth Dam” was held in Kalimani Location, Matinyani Division and witnessed by among others, officials from the Embassy of Japan in Kenya, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Kenya Office and Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI). JICA and KEFRI have been working on a collaborative technical cooperation called the “Project on Development of Drought Tolerant Trees for Adaptation to Climate Change in Dry lands of Kenya” for more than 3 years. Under this project, the institutions have conducted improved propagation of a fast-growing indigenous tree, suitable for Kenya’s arid and semi-arid areas. The special seedling called “Melia Volkensii”, grows to an average of 2 meters in only 6 months. JICA and KEFRI donated more than 300 Melia Volkensii seedlings to “The Project for the Rehabilitation of Kalimani Earth Dam”. Kalimani Earth Dam was built in the 1980s through manual labor, but the dam silted up and the dam unfortunately breached in 2005. Though there was plenty of rainfall during the rainy season, ever since the dam breached, the dam was not able to hold enough water and most of it flowed out of the dam. Therefore, during the dry season, people in the community had to walk approximately 10km per day to a seasonal river which they had to scoop a hole each time they fetched water. Initiative for Green Kenya, the grantee organization was therefore, willing to plant seedlings around the dam to make a solid ground to prevent soils and sands to enter into the reservoir for the dam to be silted. In addition, to prevent the amount of evaporation from the surface water by creating shades around the dam. Upon the request from the Embassy of Japan, JICA and KEFRI gave a very positive response towards the idea of collaborating with the GGP project and donated more than 300 seedlings of Melia Volkensii to the project. At the ceremony, the C.E.O. / Secretary of Initiative for Green Kenya, Mrs. Edith Martha Mulwa expressed her appreciation to JICA and KEFRI for donating the special seedlings to the project. She said, “We are very grateful that we were able to receive technical advice from the experts from JICA and KEFRI together with the Melia Volkensii.” Dr. Ben Chikamai, Director of KEFRI explained that JICA and KEFRI has been working together for the last 30 years and have very strong ties with the Government of Japan. He also mentioned that KEFRI has been working together with the community to find solutions on how to protect the dam by using plants. He said, “there are specific species of grass that grows very well and helps to protect the dam on a project site like this Kalimani Earth Dam. We are willing to give our full support towards this project”. Mr. Kazuhiro Tambara, Senior Representative of JICA Kenya Office said that it is JICA’s pleasure that the Melia Volkenssi seedlings which were grown through the technical cooperation project with KEFRI is being used in a very practical and useful way. Ambassador Terada, in his speech expressed his appreciation to JICA and KEFRI for donating the special seedling plants to the GGP project and explained that it is the first GGP project to collaborate with the joint project between JICA and KEFRI. In his speech, he said “It is important for the Government of Japan to find ways to collaborate with the necessary institutions and people to enhance the activities that we are doing in Kenya”. In closing his remarks, he wished the people good health, happiness and prosperity. |
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