The Government has launched a five-year, Sh26 billion watershed restoration programme targeting five critical landscapes across 12 counties, in a renewed push to reverse environmental degradation, strengthen water security and improve the livelihoods of communities vulnerable to climate change.

The Kenya Watershed Services Improvement Project (KEWASIP), backed by US$200 million (approximately Sh26 billion) in World Bank financing, seeks to expand sustainable land and watershed management while restoring degraded ecosystems that support agriculture, energy production, biodiversity and domestic water supply.

Speaking during the official launch at Radisson Blu Hotel in Upper Hill, Nairobi, on Monday, November 2, 2026, Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Dr Deborah Barasa said the initiative would address mounting environmental challenges threatening the country's natural resources and economic development.

Barasa said the programme marked a significant step towards protecting Kenya's water catchments, rehabilitating degraded landscapes and building resilience among communities increasingly exposed to droughts, floods and other climate-related shocks.

She warned that environmental degradation had evolved beyond a conservation concern into a broader economic and development challenge, citing declining watershed productivity, soil erosion, diminishing water availability and unsustainable land-use practices as some of the consequences.

"Environmental degradation is therefore not merely a conservation concern; it is an economic and development challenge," she said, emphasising the importance of protecting ecosystems that sustain millions of livelihoods.

The project will be implemented over five years across the Marsabit Hills, Marmanet Hills, Nyambene Hills, Chyulu Hills and Shimba Hills, covering Baringo, Meru, Kitui, Tharaka Nithi, Samburu, Isiolo, Marsabit, Makueni, Garissa, Kwale, Tana River and Laikipia counties.

Its integrated watershed approach recognises the interconnected relationship between upstream forests and water towers, river systems, agricultural landscapes and downstream communities, with interventions designed to ensure that environmental protection delivers benefits across entire ecosystems.

Barasa said the initiative would strengthen policy, legal and regulatory frameworks, promote sustainable landscape management and enhance the institutional and technical capacity of agencies responsible for implementation.

She called on the 12 participating county governments to take ownership of the programme, integrate its activities into their development priorities and ensure that interventions respond to the needs of communities living within the targeted landscapes.

The Cabinet Secretary noted that environmental challenges transcend county boundaries, making cooperation between the National Government, devolved administrations and local communities essential for sustainable watershed management.

She welcomed the signing of intergovernmental participation agreements and the establishment of County Project Coordination Units, urging governors to translate the arrangements into practical action.

Counties were particularly urged to safeguard critical hilltops, riparian reserves and environmentally sensitive areas, strengthen the management of county and community forests, and promote agroforestry and urban forestry initiatives.

The Ministry has also finalised the Adopt-a-Forest Guidelines, which Barasa said would provide an avenue for mobilising additional resources and partnerships from the private sector, institutions and communities to support long-term forest conservation.

The launch comes against the backdrop of the Government's wider landscape restoration agenda, spearheaded by the 15 Billion Tree Growing Programme, which targets 30 per cent national tree cover by 2032.

The initiative is supported by the National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Strategy 2025–2032, which provides a framework for rehabilitating 10.6 million hectares of degraded landscapes across the country.

However, Barasa cautioned that restoration efforts should not be measured solely by the number of trees planted, arguing that lasting environmental recovery requires addressing the underlying causes of degradation, protecting biodiversity and establishing sustainable economic opportunities for communities.

She said greater attention must be directed towards seedling survival rates, improved watershed functions, healthier ecosystems, enhanced household livelihoods and the long-term resilience of communities.

KEWASIP became effective on December 23, 2025, and the Cabinet Secretary said considerable progress had already been achieved in laying the groundwork for implementation.

She called on the State Department for Forestry, national implementing institutions and county governments to accelerate the delivery of planned activities, improve coordination and ensure that the project achieves its intended objectives within the implementation period.

Barasa further emphasised the importance of community participation, accountability and sustainability, saying residents should be actively involved in identifying local priorities, implementing restoration activities and maintaining the gains made.

She said the programme should deliberately create opportunities for women, young people and vulnerable groups, ensuring that communities are not merely beneficiaries but active participants in environmental protection and livelihood improvement.

The Cabinet Secretary also called for transparency, prudent utilisation of project resources and strict accountability among implementing institutions to safeguard the substantial investment.

The initiative brings together several government agencies, including the Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Forestry Research Institute, National Environment Management Authority, National Environment Trust Fund, Water Resources Authority and Kenya Wildlife Service.

Other participating institutions include the State Department for Wildlife and the State Department for Irrigation, whose collaboration is expected to strengthen the coordination of interventions across the targeted landscapes.

Barasa urged the agencies to work collectively rather than pursue fragmented approaches, noting that effective watershed restoration requires coordinated expertise in forestry, water resources, wildlife conservation, environmental regulation and irrigation.

She also acknowledged the World Bank's continued partnership with the Government of Kenya, appreciating its financial and technical support towards environmental conservation and sustainable natural resource management.

The Cabinet Secretary maintained that healthy watersheds were indispensable to national water security, food production, energy generation, biodiversity conservation and sustainable economic growth.

She said the success of KEWASIP would ultimately depend on the ability of government institutions, development partners, county administrations and local communities to translate the financial commitment into measurable improvements in environmental conditions and household welfare.

"KEWASIP presents an opportunity to demonstrate that environmental conservation, economic development and improved community livelihoods can be achieved together," she said.

She urged all participating partners to approach the initiative with a shared sense of urgency and responsibility, ensuring that the investment produces restored landscapes, healthier watersheds, stronger local economies and a more climate-resilient country.

The official launch signals the commencement of a coordinated national effort to strengthen the protection of critical ecosystems while linking environmental restoration with sustainable development and community prosperity.