The UK PACT team visited Makueni County Referral Hospital with Makueni County officials for Energy & Environment, where they observed the installation of solar panels.
The hospital will be completely dependent on solar electricity thanks to these panels, which were developed in collaboration with the County Government and the UK.
The project is expected to save the hospital about Ksh 7 million a year in power costs, with a 200 kilowatt peak load solar capacity.
Mutula Kilonzo Junior, the governor of Makueni, expressed his happiness over having the UK PACT team visit and emphasized the county’s commitment to renewable energy and environmentally friendly methods of restoring ecosystems.
With plans to build a state-of-the-art County Energy Centre in Kisingo that will serve the county as well as the country, he underlined the incorporation of green energy into the County Energy Plan.
The British High Commission’s Economic Counsellor, Daniel Wilcox, emphasized how conservation initiatives may act as engines of economic expansion.
He reaffirmed Kenya’s and the UK’s commitment to working together to address environmental and climate change issues, especially in nations like Makueni.
He praised Makueni County for creating an energy department and actively participating in seminars to raise awareness, both of which are essential to the accomplishment of County Energy Plans.
Throughout the visit, farmers acting as Trainers-of-Trainers (ToTs) for forest and land restoration engaged with the UK PACT team and county officials.
They saw a range of initiatives that enhanced livelihoods, like the deployment of shade nets to reduce evaporation and water conservation techniques like channeling water to agricultural ponds.
They also encountered arboreal nursery workers who support neighborhood tree-planting programs.
Lead farmers in the county have trained 775 others as part of an ICRAF-led project that examines nature-based adaptation strategies, guaranteeing fair gender participation and benefits.
More than a thousand participants have been trained in land and forest restoration, showcasing the concrete results of cooperative efforts to combat climate change at the local level.