Tourism And Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Dr. Alfred Mutua Visits Wildlife Research and Training Institute in Naivasha – 24/10/2023

Tourism and wildlife cabinet secretary Dr. Alfred Mutua is calling for a radical shift in local research methodologies to tailor them with finding quick solutions to the country’s day-to-day problems.

The CS says applied research is what will help Kenya solve her problems. The CS spoke in Naivasha during a familiarization tour of the Wildlife Training and Research institute. The CS also inaugurated several new projects and initiatives at the institute funded by the Tourism Promotion Fund to the tune of 95 million shillings.

The CS challenged the institute to change its research model and make it practical. “The institute ought to embark on serious research leading to the manufacture of Kenyan made anti snake venom”, he said.

Dr. Mutua said incidences of human-wildlife conflict have been on an upward trajectory since 2020. He attributed this trend to climate change. ‘To sort out the problem of human-wildlife conflict, we need a programme that encourages communities and empowers them on the best way of co-existing with wildlife,” said the CS.

He announced that Kenya wildlife service will invest in mobile units that will be used within communities where wildlife is found to educate them on how to coexist with wildlife.

“68 per cent of our wildlife is outside national parks and to protect them, we need to involve local communities”, the CS said.