The Laikipia County National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) office in conjunction with World Vision plans to train sand harvesting Cooperative Societies (SACCOS) committee members on sustainable sand harvesting.
The Laikipia County Director of Environment, Fanuel Mosago told KNA in his office that the three days training will see participants sensitized on various environmental concerns at the sand harvesting sites among them non-availability of toilets, bathrooms and sand dams.
Sand harvesting is an important economic resource and source of employment to many residents of Laikipia north and currently there are two sand harvesting SACCOs in the County.
Mosago however, regretted there have been no strict laws and regulations to govern sand harvesting that was commercialized 40 years ago by the local communities adding sand from the region was used for construction locally and in the neighbouring counties among them Nyeri, Meru, Nyandarua and Isiolo.
“The construction of sand dams will ease water problem in the semi-arid area and at the same introduce the locals to farming through irrigation,” he added.
By Margaret Kirera
