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Kenya: Annul Tana Delta Sugarcane Project
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Business Daily (Nairobi)
OPINION
3 July 2008
Posted to the web 3 July 2008
Paul Matiku
The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) has approved a controversial plan to grow sugarcane on an important coastal wetland - the Tana River Delta.
More than 20,000 hectares of the delta will be destroyed and replaced with sugarcane for biofuel. This decision by Nema will lead to a national environmental and social and economic disaster. Tana's ecology will be destroyed, yet the economic gains are not much. It will seriously damage the country's priceless national asset and put the livelihoods of the people living in the delta in jeopardy.
Approval conditions given by Nema ignore the environmental impact on people, wildlife and livestock - threatening the future survival of local pastoralist communities who use the delta as the only dry season refuge and grazing grounds and ticket for survival.
The environmental assessment for the project was poor, legally flawed and failed to respect views of stakeholders. The decision disregards biodiversity and overlooks an ongoing dispute over compensation for farmers and fishermen who would lose their land and fishing rights.
This decision is a serious blow to wildlife since many migrating species use the Tana delta. Until now, Kenya's support for global agreements to protect wildlife has been excellent, but this development has severely damaged the country's reputation, as far as caring for the environment and biodiversity goes.
We refuse to accept that this decision on Tana delta is final. The development must be stopped at all costs, for the benefit of present and future generations. A report commissioned by Nature Kenya and RSPB found that the developer's plans overestimated profits, ignored fees for water use and pollution from the plant, and disregarded the loss of income from wildlife tourists.
The delta is a meeting point of water birds. Its inhabitants and wildlife have adapted to the extremes of drought and floods. Further, it is the only dry season grazing refuge for pastoralist communities.
Also, the project will cause a water imbalance. Mumias proposes to use one-third of Tana River's water. There is no data to show that the balance is enough to support the other user; people, wildlife, small scale subsistence farming and fisheries. This is a technicality that will not only render the project unviable but also affect the river ecology, more so down stream.
Biodiversity underpins all ecosystem processes and is the foundation of Tana delta's rich natural heritage. There are strong grounds for believing that future demand for environmental amenities will grow rapidly over time, as Kenya becomes increasingly materially better off.
Biodiversity hotspot
However, anticipated technological advancement will not augment supplies of these environmental amenities that are under threat by Mumias. The benefits derived from nature's systems (ecosystem services) in the Tana delta are irreplaceable by technology.
As the welfare of Kenyans improves and demand for amenities provided by environmental assets grows over time, the relative value of these amenities will rise. This contrasts with the likely falling value of material outputs from Mumias. Since the Tana delta is a biodiversity hotspot with at least four endemic species, the economic value of the area will appreciate with time.
Scientific value for the area will also rise. Balanced use of the delta has provided people with livelihoods. Its importance as a natural resource for Kenya's economy is yet to be fully exploited. We therefore request the government to give the Tana delta, the local communities and the biodiversity and their interactions a chance.
In turn, the ecologically friendly functions of the delta should be harnessed, especially livestock, tourism, small-scale farming, fishing, honey farming, timber harvesting and medicinal products.
At least 130,000 hectares of the most critical parts of the Tana River flood plain and the delta should be designated as national community conservation areas. This will set the stage for other projects in the remaining area of the delta.
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Matiku is the spokesman for Kenya Wetlands Forum and executive director of Nature Kenya.
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