Environmental policy and administrative management

This project seeks to have a lasting impact on communities and ecosystems in Laikipia County through implementation of activities that will contribute to the prevention of land degradation, mitigation of climate change, and reduction of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The proposal targets to improve the livelihood base of 4000 plus youth and women in Laikipia County, while addressing the problem of organic and plastic waste disposal and contributing significantly to the conservation and protection of the Mt. Kenya ecosystem. The mission of SAFI Project is to develop and implement community development projects that link waste management, sustainable development and poverty reduction in small towns and villages throughout rural Kenya. This particular project, entitled Establishment and Support of the Laikipia Waste Recycling Centre for Environment, Health and Livelihood Security, seeks to expand our existing work with rural communities in addressing solid waste management issues through the scaling up of recycling and re-purposing of plastic materials, thereby reducing the amount of POPs generated by waste burning. The project will also set up an organic waste recycling initiative which will utilize farm, food and animal wastes in the production of biomass briquettes that can be used as a substitute for wood fuel in cooking. This will help reduce land degradation in the great Laikipia area by reducing the number of trees that are cut for fuel wood or charcoal, and it will simultaneously create employment for the youth and women groups SAFI has been working with on solid waste management. The project will also contribute to reduction of climate change as use of the organic fuel briquettes will reduce tree-cutting and burning. Through the establishment of the waste recycling centre and engagement of the community in waste collection and briquette production, the project will create employment and a new source of livelihoods. As part of the proposed project, SAFI will purchase seven (7) fuel briquette-making machines and a plastic pelletizing machine to establish the Laikipia Waste Recycling Centre in Jua-Kali and sub-projects in Kimanjo, Dol-dol, Ngare Ndare, Mwireri and Manyangalo. These centres will initiate projects according to the waste materials available locally, as determined by our 2011 waste audits. Jua-Kali will be the main centre due to its accessibility, infrastructure and location in reference to other centres.

Kenya