United Nations Development Programme disburses Sh32m

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has disbursed Sh31.6 million to eight marine conservation projects in Kwale through the Small Grants Programme (SGP) initiative.

The funding was unveiled at a  stakeholders’ forum at Shimoni near the sea border with Tanzania under the banner of the Shimoni-Vanga seascape community projects.

UNDP country deputy resident representative Mandisa Mashologu said the project beneficiaries are groups of women and youth working to save the ocean from unsustainable activities and protect its ecosystem.

“The grants will help the community groups working to restore and conserve the fragile marine environment thereby enhancing food security among coastal fisher communities,” she said.

Mashologu said the Shimoni-Vanga seascape has been selected as one of three ecologically sensitive areas of national and global significance for focus in this funding phase. The others are Baringo landscape representing lake systems and the Mijikenda Kaya forests in Kilifi.

Mashologu said the grants are part of UNDP’s continued support to building sustainable livelihoods for natural resource-dependent communities.

Coastal marine and research development project coordinator Patrick Kimani hailed the donor funding as a ‘critical step for ocean conservation.’ -KNA