Agency, partners intensify efforts to conserve Mara ecosystem ahead of fete

Victoria Primary School pupils in Kisumu plant trees during the event spearheaded by the Lake Victoria Basin Commission. [Michael Mute, Standard]

The theme for this year's celebration is "Conserving Mara River basin for biodiversity and sustainable economy".

With the human population increasing, and water shortage affecting areas surrounding the vital river as well as pollution, partners from the two countries are keen to reverse the trend through sustained conservation efforts.

The Mara River basin covers a surface of 13,504 sq km, most of which, about 65 per cent, is on the Kenyan side. From its sources in the Kenyan highlands, the river flows for about 395 km, draining into Lake Victoria in Tanzania's Mara region.

Both Tanzania and Kenya have a shared resolve to sustainably manage Mara River Basin as a critical ecosystem in Lake Victoria Basin contributing to sustainable socio-economic development, biodiversity conservation and vibrancy of the economies of the States.

Efforts to conserve the basin have grown tremendously over the past five years with private sector involvement rising from 3 per cent to 60 per cent, according to reports by LVBC.

Yesterday, Ecobank, one of the partners leading the drive to conserve the ecosystem praised the efforts to increase forest coverage in the basin.

As part of a change in strategy to inculcate the conservation message to the younger generation, the bank has sponsored an essay writing competition that will see pupils from primary schools within the region attend the Mara Day celebrations in Tanzania.

The bank's regional manager in charge of Western Kenya Thaddeus Okwaro said they will participate in tree planting activities. He stated the bank has also embraced a paperless system to reduce usage of tree products.