State unveils Bill to restore Kenya's degraded land

Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eng. Eric Mugaa.

Kenya has drafted a new law to reclaim degraded land nationwide, targeting improved food and water security alongside stronger climate resilience.

Irrigation Secretary for Land Reclamation, Climate Resilience and Irrigation Water Management, Joel Tanui, briefed Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eng. Eric Mugaa on the proposed Land Reclamation Bill, 2026, during a session of the Land Reclamation Committee.

The Bill seeks to build a legal framework for restoring degraded land and halting further degradation, in support of Kenya's land degradation neutrality targets, according to the State Department for Irrigation.

It also aims to enhance food and water security, strengthen climate resilience and promote environmental sustainability, the department said in a statement.

The proposed law would set up institutional, regulatory and financing mechanisms to back these goals.

Once passed, the Bill is expected to guide ecosystem restoration, improve food and water security, boost climate resilience and attract investment in land reclamation projects across the country, the department said.