By Benson Mnyamwezi
Taita Taveta County
Lake Jipe in Taita-Taveta County is on the verge of drying up owing to rampant environmental degradation.
Conservationists have warned that unless drastic measures are taken to conserve the lake’s ecosystem, the trend would impact negatively on the socio-economic status of communities living around the lake.
A senior Water Resource Management Authority (Warma) official, Joseph Maina, said water levels at the lake, which lies between Kenya and Tanzania border have drastically reduced adversely affecting fishing activities, the main source of livelihood among the local communities.
Speaking to The Standard in Taveta town yesterday, Mr Maina noted that water had receded from 0.4 metres to 0.006 metres owing to massive siltation, an issue that requires urgent intervention.
"There’s urgent need to conserve wetlands surrounding the lake ecosystem to save it from extinction. Residents living around the lake must be encouraged to adopt positive conservation measures that would save the lake from drying," said the Warma boss. The County Environment Officer, Kahindi Yeri, said Nema was concerned about the dwindling water levels at the lake, which is a major lifeline of millions of people.
He said the lake was shrinking after River Lumi, which is its main inlet changed course when unscrupulous farmers diverted it for irrigation purposes.
The Nema boss said the lake ecosystem supports three hydro-electric generation projects in Tanzania and authorities view the ecosystem of Jipe, Challa and Umba, that are shared between the two countries, as important cross-border ecosystem that needs to be protected.
Sources said a stakeholders meeting convened to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between Kenya and Tanzania on conservation of the lake ecosystem failed after Kenya allegedly sent junior officers.
Source: The Standard
Taita Taveta County
Lake Jipe in Taita-Taveta County is on the verge of drying up owing to rampant environmental degradation.
Conservationists have warned that unless drastic measures are taken to conserve the lake’s ecosystem, the trend would impact negatively on the socio-economic status of communities living around the lake.
A senior Water Resource Management Authority (Warma) official, Joseph Maina, said water levels at the lake, which lies between Kenya and Tanzania border have drastically reduced adversely affecting fishing activities, the main source of livelihood among the local communities.
Speaking to The Standard in Taveta town yesterday, Mr Maina noted that water had receded from 0.4 metres to 0.006 metres owing to massive siltation, an issue that requires urgent intervention.
"There’s urgent need to conserve wetlands surrounding the lake ecosystem to save it from extinction. Residents living around the lake must be encouraged to adopt positive conservation measures that would save the lake from drying," said the Warma boss. The County Environment Officer, Kahindi Yeri, said Nema was concerned about the dwindling water levels at the lake, which is a major lifeline of millions of people.
He said the lake was shrinking after River Lumi, which is its main inlet changed course when unscrupulous farmers diverted it for irrigation purposes.
The Nema boss said the lake ecosystem supports three hydro-electric generation projects in Tanzania and authorities view the ecosystem of Jipe, Challa and Umba, that are shared between the two countries, as important cross-border ecosystem that needs to be protected.
Sources said a stakeholders meeting convened to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between Kenya and Tanzania on conservation of the lake ecosystem failed after Kenya allegedly sent junior officers.
Source: The Standard
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