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

This report provides an overview of findings from a series of Sub-County level consultations and preparatory technical meetings intended to inform a county level multi-sectoral Strategic Plan for water, energy and climate change. Lack of such a Strategy and consultation process in Isiolo County, held back progress and limited the effectiveness of many County and donor-supported interventions in the past. This was the first time that County Officers in the Isiolo County Ministry of Water, Energy and Climate Change Isiolo County had explored such a consultative approach to strategic planning. Their subcounty level meetings included participation by over 100 representatives of local customary resource user associations, women’s groups, formal water resource user associations, water committees, irrigation committees, ward adaptation planning committees and others, with facilitation from a local NGO (RAP) and IIED. This report describes the approach and the major findings. The recommendations generated through this process should inform planning and budgeting for the coming five years, and 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 economic potential.