The Kenyan government has enshrined the need for human societies’ involvement in project development in the Constitution. This has been set out in the EMCA, 1999 and Environmental (Impact and Audit) Regulations, 2003. The proposed project has incorporated public consultations in order to understand the local impacts, needs and wishes of the community and eventually incorporate them into the final designs and operations of the project.
Objectives
The overall goal of the consultation process is to disseminate project information and to incorporate the views of the local community and key stakeholders in the design of the mitigation measures and the management plan.
The objectives of the consultation process were to: -
Improve project design and, thereby, minimize conflicts and delays in implementation of the proposed flood-based irrigation scheme
Facilitate the development of appropriate and acceptable entitlement options; Increase long term project sustainability and ownership.
An important element in the process of impact assessment is consulting with
stakeholders/community to gather the information needed to complete the assessment.
The process of consultation and public participation was also aimed at obtaining local knowledge, increasing public confidence and reducing future conflicts
Public consultation was also aimed to gather the perception of the project by the community and/or stakeholders and residents on the negative impacts of the project and the anticipated negative impacts.
Methodology
Public participation for the proposed project was conducted through the public consultative meetings and admission of questionnaires to allow for systematic understanding and interaction of the project beneficiaries, neighbors, local community members/surrounding enterprises and any other would be affected/interested parties.
i. Public consultation questionnaires
ESIA questionnaires were administered, to gather information from key stakeholder and the members of the public. This was done using structured questionnaires to assess the environmental and socio-economic views of the respondents. A total of 12 questionnaires were administered in the project area.
ii. Public consultation meetings
In seeking the views of the key stakeholders, and any other would be affected/interested parties the consultant organized a consultative meeting targeting the Butiye community members, the administration and the proponent key staff at County and sub-county level, the ward
Table 5-1 Summary of Public Consultative Meeting
S/No. Venue Number of Participants Date of Meeting Male Female Total
1 Bori Village 10 18 28 12th May 2021
A total of 28 participants attended the stakeholder consultative meeting. During the public participation meeting, stakeholders had a chance to interact with the proponent represented by the EIA expert and ministry of agriculture officials at county and sub-county level. The findings are incorporated into this report and captures the issues, suggestions, concerns and recommendations from public meetings on site.
Findings of the public participation and consultation 5.4.1 Positive environmental and social impacts of the project
• The project will provide employment creation for the youth and women during construction and operational phase
• The project is anticipated to reduce crop losses and enable access to improve market prices.
• Through construction of the proposed project, there will be reduction of poverty level in the area and the livelihood will improve.
• Anticipated improved crop varieties from the access to market and improved seed varieties
• Improved household income for the community that will lead to improved standards of living at community level.
• Short distances of travel in search of water
• Time-saving for other activities
• The proposed Bori Irrigation project will have a spill-over effect of attracting other developments in the area
• Improved local business in Butiye including sprouting of other supporting businesses
• Emergence of agro-industries and other small-scale businesses in the area.
• Diversification of farm enterprises
• Improved soil fertility by application of organic manure.
5.4.2 Key negative concerns
• Increased incidences of disease outbreak especially water borne and other related
• May increase school drop-out rate for children to be employed as “shamba” boys and also to practice agriculture themselves;
• Increase family breakdown due to economic independence between men and women;
Increase in theft cases;
• May promote alcoholism in the area due to the disposable income at hand;
• Uncontrolled agricultural activities may lead to on-farm soil erosion and water mis-use.
• There is a likely possibility of chemical pollution and consumption of chemicals sprayed on crops.
• Environmental degradation due poor usage of inorganic farm inputs.
• Human-wildlife conflict, the feared wild animal are elephants.
5.4.3 Other issues identified
• The project should be implemented to help farmers improve their socio-economic welfare.
• The project will play a big role in poverty alleviation and developing the economy of the area.
• The project should cover the whole community to ensure equitable development and increased acceptability.
• Training and extension services should be administered to the local community especially on agronomy, soil and water conservation and environmental management.
• The project should provide sufficient water to ensure that farmers meet their agricultural targets all season round.
• The project team should liaise with other stakeholders to improve the state of the infrastructures especially the roads that are in poor state to help farmers market their products.
Environmental Issues
The major environmental problems identified at Bori area were soil erosion and deforestation, attributed by low income, which encourage charcoal burning. Most farms in the area did not have adequate vegetation cover thus exposing soils to elements.
Farming along the stream banks and on water catchment areas is also common among most people living in the area.
6 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN