Environment PS Ng’eno leads talks on partnership to boost Mau Forest conservation

Environment and Climate Change Principal Secretary, Dr. Eng. Festus Ng’eno, has held talks with Safaricom PLC on possible areas of collaboration in the implementation of the Mau Forest Complex Integrated Conservation and Livelihood Improvement Programme (MCF-ICLIP).

Dr. Ng’eno, who also serves as the patron of MCF-ICLIP, met Safaricom’s Director of Sustainable Business and Social Impact, Karen Basiye, and her team at his office in Nairobi.

The discussions focused on forging strategic partnerships to support conservation efforts while enhancing community livelihoods within the Mau Forest ecosystem.

The MCF-ICLIP programme, described as a ten-year transformative initiative, is anchored on five core components: Sustainable Landscape Management, Community Livelihood Improvement, Circular Economy Innovations, Environmental Education & Research, and Governance and Resource Mobilisation.

Targeting four key blocks of the Mau Forest Complex—Molo, Njoro, Kuresoi North, and Kuresoi South—the initiative seeks to restore degraded forest landscapes, promote sustainable land use practices, and uplift surrounding communities.

The partnership discussions with Safaricom mark a key step in mobilising resources and expertise to deliver on the programme’s vision of conserving Kenya’s largest water tower while improving the quality of life for residents in adjacent areas.