Strengthening Climate Resilience: ARCA Project Launched in Nairobi

 A major step toward enhancing climate resilience and securing water resources in Kenya was marked today with the launch of the Upper Athi River Catchment Area (ARCA) project in Nairobi.

The initiative, funded by the Green Climate Fund, is designed to bolster climate adaptation efforts and improve water security for communities across Nyandarua, Kiambu, Nairobi and Machakos counties. Through sustainable water resource management and ecosystem restoration, the project aims to address the growing impacts of climate change within the Athi River catchment.

The launch event was presided over by Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, alongside Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, Deborah Barasa, and Principal Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Festus Ngeno. Also in attendance was Nyandarua Governor Kiarie Badilisha and senior representatives from key environmental and water sector institutions.

The ARCA project is being implemented jointly by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), the Water Resources Authority (WRA), and the Kenya Meteorological Department. The agencies will collaborate to strengthen adaptive capacity, enhance climate information services, restore degraded ecosystems, and promote sustainable water use throughout the Athi River basin.

Speaking during the launch, leaders emphasized the urgency of building resilience in the face of increasingly erratic weather patterns, prolonged droughts, and recurrent flooding. They noted that the Upper Athi River catchment plays a critical role in supporting domestic water supply, agriculture, industry and biodiversity, making its restoration and protection vital to Kenya’s socio-economic stability.

NEMA leadership, led by Chairman Emilio Mugo and Director General Mamo B. Mamo, EBS, was lauded for its stewardship in advancing environmental governance and climate action. Dr. Mamo’s strategic oversight and commitment to results-driven programming were highlighted as instrumental in securing and operationalizing the ARCA project.

The ARCA initiative is expected to deliver tangible benefits to communities by improving water availability, supporting climate-smart agriculture, strengthening early warning systems, and rehabilitating critical ecosystems. As Kenya continues to confront the realities of climate change, the project signals a coordinated and forward-looking approach to safeguarding livelihoods and natural resources in one of the country’s most vital catchment areas.