STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT.

Strategic Partnership for Sustainable Environmental Management

Strategic partnerships and collaborations are critical for us to realizing outcomes faster. In the area of environmental protection, partnership means acting with urgency to address a matter that poses a collective existential threat. Indeed, evidence from our programming has proven that when partnership is forged with actors including the private sector and development partners, seemingly insurmountable challenges including climate change adaptation becomes easier to accomplish. Informed by this realization, NETFUND, during this quarter, has continued to appreciate and build synergies with likeminded institutions; bilateral, multilateral, foundations, corporations, communities and individuals in order to leverage on the diverse and unique strengths of each in supporting the development and implementation of programmes that address pressing environmental challenges including landscape degradation, climate financing, climate change adaptation and community capacity building and awareness. Cornerstone to NETFUND’s partnership model in environmental management is sustainability.

In this regard, enhancing innovative and sustainable environmental financing mechanisms, creating community-led and owned environmental protection initiatives and development of an adequate and current body of knowledge in and around environmental protection and climate change remains the guiding beacons of the Fund’s pursuit in fostering partnership and collaboration with likeminded institutions. In its strategic partnership agenda, the Fund has, during this quarter, laid greater emphasis on private sector partnership to finance some of its key programming.

In the area of forestry, private sector partnership has seen mobilization of resources for tree growing and nursery establishment to support restoration of critical forest ecosystems in the country. In addition to supporting the restoration of degraded ecosystems, this has also contributed to the attainment of constitutionally required the 10% tree cover.

Likewise, partnerships have been developed with leading corporates in the country to support the recently launched NETFUND’s Green Innovations Challenge through which the Fund seeks to identify and nurture at least 40 green enterprises especially for the youths, women, and special groups in the community. This is also part of a broader climate action programme that heralds Kenya’s journey to #COP27 in Egypt.

Partnerships have also been developed with key training institutions to enhance the technical capacities of the Fund’s beneficiaries including community groups and enterprises in the areas of tree nursery establishments, agribusiness and entrepreneurship. This is largely intended to reduce communities over reliance on forests and forests products by creating alternative and sustainable livelihood mechanisms for communities living around forests. Similarly, the Fund, through partnership with leading technical partners has built the capacity of key stakeholders on Climate Change, environmental pollution, and ecosystem rehabilitation The Fund has also maintained and stepped-up collaboration with its development partners in financing and implementing its programmes.

During the quarter, major partnership towards landscape restoration was established with the Government of Japan through UNDP to implement a major ecosystems restoration project targeting the three forest ecosystems of Kaptagat, Kakamega and SusaMagadi. Likewise, the Fund has established a landmark partnership with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation to develop and implement a 3-year programme for the restoration and rehabilitation of the watersheds of River Weiwei. Cognizant of the immense funding gap existing in the area of environmental financing in Kenya, NETFUND is keen to continuously invest in and strengthen its structures and capacity to foster partnerships and collaborations in addressing priority national environmental challenges.

Innovation Commercialization Grant
NETFUND RECEIVES FUNDING FOR RESTORATION OF THE CHERENGANY ECOSYSTEM.