1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Approach

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

Strengthening Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change in Kenya Plus (StARCK+) {'additional_translations': {}, 'value': 6142, 'label': 'Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)', 'text': 'Resource Advocacy Programme (RAP) - Kenya', 'template': 'raw'}

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

22/01/2018

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

1.4 Reference(s) to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Technologies

2.1 Short description of the Approach

Inclusive strategic planning for water, energy and climate change in the rangelands at county, sub-county, ward and location levels. This involves convening stakeholder groups and reviewing databases to prepare for future needs for rangeland, water and other resources under changing climatic conditions.

2.2 Detailed description of the Approach

Detailed description of the Approach:

This participatory approach consists of strategic planning through a method that embraces the perspectives of the stakeholder groups, including rangeland resource user associations. Strategic planning is needed in order to rebalance the threats and opportunities created by the annual cycle of droughts and floods, and to coordinate the efforts of local, national and international actors. Key elements of the strategic planning approach include:
i) Scientific tools, databases, systems, and capacities to observe and monitor climate effects, extractions and of water within the catchment;
ii) Clean, affordable and friendly technological solutions to redistribute and conserve water and energy supplies where they are needed within the catchment, particularly during drought and floods;
iii) Inclusive institutions, including active local participation both formally established and customary, to prioritize, guide, supervise and maintain the necessary information systems and infrastructure.
The County Ministry of Water, Energy and Climate Change encourages, and is involved in, a strong community consultation process. It publicly reviews its databases to prioritize investments for a multi-sectoral Strategic Plan. The plan is used to guide investments from the county budget, and also by other actors intending to contribute to managing water, energy and climate change within the county. In the past, the lack of such a strategy and consultation process has held back coordination amongst resource users, and limited the effectiveness of many county and donor-supported interventions, especially in the rangeland areas.
2016-7 was the first time that such an approach to planning had been explored by the county officials. Over 100 women and men representing local customary resource user associations, women’s groups, formal water resource user associations, water committees, irrigation committees, ward adaptation planning committees and others took part in a series of sub-county level consultation meetings. These were conducted in appropriate languages, depending on the mix of participants. The public meetings were preceded by technical preparatory meetings amongst the county technical officers and resource persons.
The Sector Strategic Plan feeds into the preparation of the County Integrated Development Plan (with a 5-year timeframe), as well as the annual budgeting for the county government and its development partners. The recommendations also support and feed into ongoing catchment level planning, as well as broader national planning debates in Kenya, particularly those concerning the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs). The overall objective of the Strategic Plan is to enable Isiolo county and its neighbouring ASAL counties in Kenya - and the Horn of Africa - to achieve their full potential as the crucibles of national and global prosperity, security and spiritual well-being.

2.3 Photos of the Approach

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Approach has been applied

2.7 Type of Approach

• recent local initiative/ innovative

2.8 Main aims/ objectives of the Approach

The overall objective of the Strategic Plan is to enable Isiolo county and its neighbouring ASAL counties in Kenya – as well as in the Horn of Africa - to achieve their full potential as the crucibles of national and global prosperity, security, and spiritual well-being.

2.9 Conditions enabling or hindering implementation of the Technology/ Technologies applied under the Approach

3.1 Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles

3.2 Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach

	Involvement of local land users/ local communities	Specify who was involved and describe activities
initiation/ motivation	interactive	County government, National Drought Management Authority, Water Resource Management Authority, RAP, IIED.
planning	interactive	Local customary resource user associations, women’s groups, formal water resource user associations, water committees, irrigation committees, ward adaptation planning committees and others.
implementation	interactive	County government and resource users.
monitoring/ evaluation	interactive	County government and resource users.
	passive	National government, international donors.

3.3 Flow chart (if available)

3.4 Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology/ Technologies

Specify who decided on the selection of the Technology/ Technologies to be implemented:

• all relevant actors, as part of a participatory approach

Specify on what basis decisions were made:

• evaluation of well-documented SLM knowledge (evidence-based decision-making)
• research findings
• personal experience and opinions (undocumented)

4.1 Capacity building/ training

Was training provided to land users/ other stakeholders?

No

4.2 Advisory service

Do land users have access to an advisory service?

No

4.3 Institution strengthening (organizational development)

Have institutions been established or strengthened through the Approach?

• yes, moderately

Specify the level(s) at which institutions have been strengthened or established:

• local

Describe institution, roles and responsibilities, members, etc.

County government's officers skills in participatory engagement were improved.

Specify type of support:

• capacity building/ training

Give further details:

Support was provided on the job.

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation

Is monitoring and evaluation part of the Approach?

No

4.5 Research

Was research part of the Approach?

No

5.1 Annual budget for the SLM component of the Approach

If precise annual budget is not known, indicate range:

• 10,000-100,000

Comments (e.g. main sources of funding/ major donors):

The financial support to conduct community consultation meetings was provided by Cordaid.

5.2 Financial/ material support provided to land users

Did land users receive financial/ material support for implementing the Technology/ Technologies?

No

5.3 Subsidies for specific inputs (including labour)

• none

If labour by land users was a substantial input, was it:

• voluntary

Comments:

Communities participated in consultation meetings voluntarily.

5.4 Credit

Was credit provided under the Approach for SLM activities?

No

5.5 Other incentives or instruments

Were other incentives or instruments used to promote implementation of SLM Technologies?

No

6.1 Impacts of the Approach

6.2 Main motivation of land users to implement SLM

6.3 Sustainability of Approach activities

Can the land users sustain what has been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

• yes

If yes, describe how:

Community members can demand participatory and inclusive development in all government plans and policies, in the way the strategic plan for water sector was developed by the Isiolo County Government's department of Water, Energy and Climate Change.

6.4 Strengths/ advantages of the Approach

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
All community groups are given an opportunity to contribute to the planning process.
Hidden community concerns and challenges are brought out by the participatory process.
County government officers were able to hear first-hand community issues and respond to community questions regarding their responsibilities.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
The inclusive and participatory process was extremely productive in bringing out issues.
Community knowledge of their challenges and optimistic ideas for possible solutions were very enriching.
Women’s participation and their contribution to issues was unexpectedly high and demonstrates progress towards gender equity.

6.5 Weaknesses/ disadvantages of the Approach and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
The Approach was unable to reach all villages in the county to seek their inputs.	Representatives from all villages can be convened at ward level and advised to make cross-consultations before attending planning meetings.
Low literacy levels meant that not all people could engage properly with the formal planning process.	Using translators of local vernacular helped to reduce this challenge.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
The process was relatively expensive compared to previous county engagements.	Explain the value of county-community engagements in planning to communities, and encourage other stakeholders to support the process also.
The process took a long time to complete.	The team conducting the public engagement can conduct more than one initiative simultaneously and thereby economise on time.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Recommendations to the County Government of Isiolo for Preparation of a Strategic Plan on Water, Energy and Climate Change

Available from where? Costs?

IIED Website

7.3 Links to relevant information which is available online

Title/ description:

Recommendations to the County Government of Isiolo for Preparation of a Strategic Plan on Water, Energy and Climate Change

URL:

pubs.iied.org/pdfs/10183IIED

Title/ description:

Cracking the climate-water-energy challenge in the drylands of Kenya

URL:

pubs.iied.org/pdfs/17408IIED