Presentation given by Janet Ahatho, Director Environment and Climate Change, County Government of Marsabitepublic of Kenya, as part of the NAP Global Network's Peer Learning Summit on Vertical Integration in the NAP Processes, held in Nairobi, Kenya, from October 11 to 13, 2023.

1. Peer Learning Summit
Vertical Integration in the Nap Processes
11th to 13th October 2023
Boma Nairobi, Kenya
COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF MARSABIT
DIRECTORATE OF ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE
By
Janet Ahatho; +254 710 888 409, janetahatho@gmail.com
Director Environment and Climate Change
To build resilience of Marsabit County residence to have adaptive capacity to climate shocks

2. INTRODUCTION
 Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya (Swahili: Jamhuri ya Kenya), is a country in East Africa. With a
population of more than 47.6 million in the 2019 census, Kenya is the 27th most populous country in the
world and 7th most populous in Africa. Kenya has a devolved system of Governance which has the National
Government and the 47 County Governments.
 The County of Marsabit in Kenya has a total area of 70,961.2Km2 and occupies the extreme part of Northern
Kenya.
 The county borders Ethiopia to the North, Lake Turkana to the West, Samburu County to the South West,
Isiolo County to the South East and Wajir County to the North East.
 The county is divided into four sub-counties namely: Laisamis, Saku, Moyale and North Horr.
 Population 459,785 people from an estimated 77,495 households (2019 population estimates-KNBS)
 There are three main livelihood zones which include: Pastoral livelihood zone constituting 81 percent of the
county population, Agro-pastoral livelihood zone at 16 percent, and Others having a combined population of
three percent. (SRA 2023 Report)
 The main source of cash income in the Pastoral and Agro Pastoral Livelihood Zones is sale of livestock and
livestock products contributing 82 and 60 percent of cash income in the Pastoral and Agro-Pastoral
Livelihood Zones respectively. The percentage of population below the poverty line is 80 and 69 percent in
the Pastoral and Agro-pastoral livelihood zones respectively. (2019 census).
To build resilience of Marsabit County residence to have adaptive capacity to climate shocks

3. Climate Change Context, Impact and Losses
 The County is extremely susceptible to impacts of a changing climate because
most livelihoods and economic activities are reliant on climate sensitive sectors,
Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Pastoralism, Forestry, Water Resources, Health,
Energy, Rangelands, Tourism, Human settlement and Physical infrastructure.
These challenges are related to increasing human pressure, unsustainable land use
practices, and droughts and other related disasters.
 Climate change effect is manifesting in recurring and prolong drought, floods,
rise in temperature, livestock and human diseases
 Water Sector- water inadequate County. More pressure in water sources
(boreholes, dams, oasis and swarms ) this has led to reduction in water table,
frequent breakdown in boreholes, 95% of services water dried up drought
drought leading to serious water scarcity
To build resilience of Marsabit County residence to have adaptive capacity to climate shocks

4. • Livestock sector- 82% of the population in
Marsabit depend on livestock as the main
source of livelihoods. Recurring drought has
heavily affected the sector. Current status
residence has lost livestock's death; as per
Short Rain NDMA Assessment report of
January 2023), (122,780 cattle’s, 535,972 goats,
511,054 sheep and 82,841 camels)
• Current status-Enough grass but few livestock
to graze on this field-high livestock deaths
• Diseases accompanied by weak body has
accelerated the deaths
• Livestock market and traders- poor livestock
body condition
• Wild life is also effected due to water scarce
and pasture. More focus is give to livestock
than wildlife
To build resilience of Marsabit County residence to have adaptive capacity to climate shocks

5.  Environmental degradation is alarming.
The county is experiencing severe
vegetation deficit. Land degradation had
impact on livestock productivity hence
impact on food securing.
 Invasive species -prosopi Juliflora
 Pastoral drop out has increase- Many
people has dropped out of pastoralism
due to increase in livestock deaths. Many
you people are above school going age
hence there force to stay in town hence
stress which lead them in crime like
stealing, drug abuse and cattle rustling
 Resource based conflict – Scarce water
and pasture lead to competing hence
leading to conflict
To build resilience of Marsabit County residence to have adaptive capacity to climate shocks

6.  Policy and legal framework is crucial to coordinate and facilitate
climate change actions. The County has developed; Marsabit
County Climate Change Adaptation Policy, 2019 and the Marsabit
Climate Change Fund Act, 2020 which has set aside 2% of the
County Development Budget to address climate resilience options
by embracing locally led climate action.
 Climate change cuts across all thus mainstreaming it in all sectors in
the County are critical to achieve resilience. On May 2023 the
County has invested on Participatory Climate Risk Assessment
(PCRA) to identify climate risk/hazards to inform Marsabit County
climate change actions Plan (MCCCAP;2023-2027).
 The MCCAP 2023-2027 inform the National Climate Change
Action Plan NCCAP 3 (2023-2027) to promote integration and
have clear reporting on the National progress of adaptation and
mitigation measures
 A locally led structure is crucial to promoting locally led climate
change actions. The County has also developed Ward Climate
Change Planning Committee as well came up with the ward climate
change resilience plans in order to guide climate change
interventions at the ward level in line with County Climate Change
Framework
County Progress in Climate Change Adaptation, Resilience and Mitigation /Vertical integration

7.  A locally led structure is crucial to promoting locally led climate change actions. The County has also developed
Ward Climate Change Planning Committee as well came up with the ward climate change resilience plans in order
to guide climate change interventions at the ward level in line with County Climate Change Framework
• Clear coordination structures from ward-sub County-County Planning committee, County Steering committee,
County climate change unit, National climate change unit
• Currently climate change act is under review to include carbon credit to provide framework for carbon credit
Cont….
To build resilience of Marsabit County residence to have adaptive capacity to climate shocks

8. • The County has embraced climate smart
agriculture technologies to increase food
availability and increase adaptive capacity
through flood base irrigation, hydroponic for
vegetable farming, irrigation, sunken bed
technologies among others
• Laying out climate change intervention with
clear understanding how CC affect different
gender- the County has developed gender tool
kit to guide decision makers to integrate gender
in planning
• The climate change mainstreaming guidelines
for Livestock, DRR and Water Sector. These
sectors are critical and are heavily affected by
climate change. The guidelines help the actors
to consider climate change adaptation and
mitigation in the planning and implementation
of programs and projects
To build resilience of Marsabit County residence to have adaptive capacity to climate shocks

9.  82% of people mainly depend of livestock keeping. The County has heavily invested in
the livestock sector in order to increase production by construction of livestock markets
across the County, investments in off-take during normal and emergency faces, cross
breading to improve breed, range land management to increase land productivity, value
addition to livestock products like meat, milk, skin and hides value chain and disease
surveillance, prevention and treatment
 Water which is a crucial commodity in the County and therefore more investment has
gone in to drilling of high yielding boreholes, construction of medium and mega size
dams, roof catchment and earth pans. For sustainable water provision the County has
embraced Solarization of boreholes and installation of pre-paid water meter at
communal water points for efficient water utilization and increase revenue/reduce water
wastage . He end goal is water provision for multiple use, for irrigation to increase food
availability
 Initiate and sustain tree growing initiatives in partnership with youth groups, PWD and
youth groups
To build resilience of Marsabit County residence to have adaptive capacity to climate shocks

10. Partnership opportunities on Climate Change Adaptation:
 Rich natural resources such as minerals, gums and resins, aloe vera, sisal,
quarry, sand, honey among others, that can be used as alternative source
of livelihoods
 Livestock Investment sector and value addition in meat, milk and hide
and skin
 Livestock trade. Meat from Marsabit is considered as the best
 Irrigation; Climate smart agriculture, flood-based irrigation around areas
with fertile soils
 Investment in clean energy; solar and wind
 Reduce emissions by embracing tree growing activities and invest in clean
energy, carbo credit opportunities.
 Increase basket of climate finance
 Adopt approach of locally led climate change actions
 Enough land to set up carbon off setting projects
To build resilience of Marsabit County residence to have adaptive capacity to climate shocks

11. Cont…..
 Climate Smart Agriculture Technologies in order to increase
food security and protect the environment
 Initiate and sustain landscape restoration opportunities
Marsabit County has forest cover of 1.7% and rest of the
land scape is rangeland. As per Kenya Forest Service Potential
Forest and Landscape Restoration Mapping of 2016 the
County has 7,603,080.53 ha, with potential area for
restoration being 6,317,872.27ha ( Outlined: Afforestation
22652.01ha, Rangelands 61312240.8ha, degraded forest
143810.28ha, Roads 13407.03hA, Rivers 1195.02ha)
Rich culture to be source of wealth to adapt t climate shocks
Climate risk assessment to lay down climate action from
informed perspective
To build resilience of Marsabit County residence to have adaptive capacity to climate shocks

12. Challenges in Vertical Integration in the Nap Processes
 Limited resource to engage in sub national climate change
policy and legal framework
 Unclear funding mechanism. Counties are not accredited
entities to receive funds directly slow in funds flow
 Limited resources to fund locally led climate actions
 Low knowledge level on climate change among communities
 Inadequate Institution capacity
To build resilience of Marsabit County residence to have adaptive capacity to climate shocks

13. Reflection: If locally led climate adaptation actions is not sustain through provision of finance at Sub
national level how will the future of communities look like in the face of recurring climate shocks?
Photo: Livestock deaths; Marsabit County
To build resilience of Marsabit County residence to have adaptive capacity to climate shocks

14. PHOTOS; MT KULAL BIO-SPHERE FOREST (Human Bio-sphere) and Chalbi Desert
Climate change is here with us, will remain with us and we need to learn to leave with it .
To build resilience of Marsabit County residence to have adaptive capacity to climate shocks

15. THANK YOU