Mandera County has surpassed major global cities like Liverpool and Melbourne by having its afforestation program recognized as sustainable, paving the way for it to become a future green city.
Mandera’s greening initiative was featured in the “Living Green for Climate Change” category, competing with projects from Liverpool in the UK and Melbourne in Australia. This recognition was announced on September 25 at the Future Green City World Congress in Utrecht, Netherlands, which attracted over 3,000 experts from around the globe.
Initiated by the first governor, Ali Roba, and continued under Governor Mohamed Khalif, the program has seen nearly 300,000 trees planted in the municipality. This effort aims to combat the severe drought affecting the region, which has resulted in livestock deaths and endangered lives.
Khalif has set an ambitious goal of planting one billion trees by the end of his five-year term, involving around 1,300 families who care for the trees planted in the town. These families will use leftover water from their daily activities to nourish the trees, ensuring they survive the harsh climate.
Each family is responsible for adopting and nurturing a tree, receiving a monthly stipend of Sh10,000 to incentivize their participation while providing an income source.
Liverpool’s entry was the URBAN GreenUP project, while Melbourne presented its Green Factor Tool. The category evaluated the effectiveness of initiatives that offer green solutions, such as street trees, green roofs, and parks, all aimed at mitigating climate change impacts.
“Nature-based solutions provide measurable financial benefits to city authorities while improving local quality of life,” explained one organizer.
Khalif expressed pride in the greening project, noting that it has not only transformed Mandera’s appearance but also revitalized the community and positioned the county for a promising future.
The competition featured seven categories, with winners selected from 21 finalists by a jury for the 2024 awards. The event organizers emphasized the importance of showcasing inspiring urban greening initiatives from cities worldwide, leading the way toward a greener urban future.
Tim Briercliffe, secretary general of AIPH, remarked on the growth of the AIPH World Green City Awards since its inception in 2022, expressing excitement for the upcoming 2026 edition.
“We did it!” the governor proclaimed upon receiving the award.
The Council of Governors praised Mandera’s achievement, congratulating the municipality for winning the prestigious AIPH Global World Green City Awards 2024 in Utrecht.
Before this initiative, the county faced strong winds and dust storms, along with scorching heat and little shade. The newly planted trees have since helped the area experience more rainfall, facilitating water harvesting and crop irrigation.
