15/11/2024
Taita Taveta County is accelerating its efforts to promote clean energy and environmental conservation through a strategic partnership with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).
During a recent visit to GIZ offices, Deputy Governor Christine Kilalo reaffirmed the county’s commitment to adopting renewable energy technologies to enhance livelihoods, protect the environment, and empower vulnerable groups such as women, youth, the elderly, and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
This collaboration aligns with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) project, launched in 2020, which has distributed 650,000 energy-efficient cooking stoves nationally, including in Taita Taveta. The initiative has also trained local artisans and community groups to construct kilns and fabricate stoves, creating employment opportunities while addressing climate change.
DG Kilalo highlighted the urgent need for sustainable energy alternatives, noting that 71% of households in the county rely on firewood and 24% on charcoal.
“We must embrace innovative solutions to safeguard our environment and improve our communities,” she emphasized.
The DG toured Embu and Murang’a counties on a fact-finding mission to explore how clean energy initiatives have created jobs and to learn from their successful energy-saving programs supported by GIZ.
Additionally, discussions with GIZ focused on finalizing a County Energy Plan to guide sustainable energy solutions in Taita Taveta. Other areas of focus included solar energy for productive use and biogas solutions.
Also present were CECM for Youth Shedrack Mutungi and Chief Officer Prs Rina Mwanake, who acknowledged the county’s socio-economic transformation agenda, empowering women and youth by expanding opportunities in clean energy initiatives.
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