TARDA PARTICIPATES IN THE IVETI COMMUNITY FOREST ECO-TOURISM SITE LAUNCH

Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority team led by Ms. Nancy Owande, Ag. Manager, Natural Resources Conservation, and Mr. Gibson Mwakideu, Regional Coordinator, alongside our technical officers. joined members of the Iveti Community Forest Association (CFA) ,the Kenya Forest Service, NEMA Kenya and Machakos County Government for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Iveti Community Eco-Tourism Site.
The event marked a pivotal step in advancing sustainable forest use, community empowerment and the integration of conservation-based enterprises within the Iveti Forest ecosystem. Ms. Owande, speaking on behalf of TARDA Managing Director, commended the strong collaboration between KFS and the Iveti CFA, noting, “Partnerships like these embody the spirit of shared stewardship — where conservation and community development reinforce each other.”
In FY 2023/24 and 2024/25, TARDA rehabilitated 25.07 acres within the catchment area, achieving an impressive 85% survival rate. To further strengthen conservation outcomes in the area, TARDA introduced a Conservation Tournament between the Authority’s team and the Iveti Community Forest Association FC as an innovative approach to build ownership and sustain reforestation momentum.
The day culminated in a tree planting exercise at the new eco-tourism site, symbolizing renewed commitment to restoration, collaboration, and climate resilience. Together, we are proving that conservation and community prosperity can thrive side by side — when vision meets partnership