SAND HARVESTING CASE STUDY
The problem faced by the community
In July 2009 PEN carried out a baseline survey with support from CDTF. The survey showed that sand harvesting is of major concern in the greater Machakos district and the larger lower eastern region of eastern province. The sand harvesting business is booming due to the growing demand in construction industry.  As a result streams around Machakos, Kangundo, Kathiani, and Mwala are badly affected and the damage done has implications for the local area and Nairobi, Athi River and Thika areas although more harm is done in the greater Machakos district than in Nairobi city and its environs who are the main beneficiaries of the business.
 Lorries transporting sand from the area pass at intervals of every half to one hour along the Mombasa and Thika highways. Approximately 175,484 tonnes of sand are harvested yearly in the greater Machakos district with very little  income earned being ploughed back to the local area for development. The practice of irresponsible and unsustainable sand harvesting has caused environmental destruction and devastated scenery. More harm is done in the greater Machakos district than in Nairobi city and its environs who are the main beneficiaries of the business. This environmental degradation is best witnessed along Thwake River in the larger Machakos.
The research attributed much of the problem to the lack of an enforceable sand harvesting policy.  Poor knowledge of the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA) and a disintegrated approach to environmental management by all stakeholders and agencies. Of great concern is the failure by the relevant ministry to gazette sand harvesting guidelines developed by the National Environment Management Agency (NEMA) in collaboration with other lead agencies and stakeholders.

PEN’s intervention and solution
PEN believes effective advocacy and citizen’s participation can bring lasting change. It has therefore embarked on a campaign together with the local CBOs members to advocate for responsible and sustainable sand harvesting in the greater Machakos district. This is done through creating awareness about sand harvesting guidelines among the local communities through community environmental committees. PEN also supports the lobbying of NEMA officers and the provincial administration as they play a key role in managing the local natural resources.

The results
Currently through PEN’s initiative four divisional community environmental committees have been formed and the committees are now playing a key activism role in agitating for responsible sand harvesting and conservation of rivers. In some areas of Mwala and Kalama sand harvesting has been banned through these community initiatives.
“After the training on EMCA Act, our youth formed an environmental activists group on sand harvesting where they are currently advocating for responsible sand harvesting in the area. Some of the young men were arrested by the local administration and later released but this has not deterred them”: Monica Musyoki, Kyevaluki CBO.
PEN and the community partners will continue calling for the full implementation of the new sand harvesting guidelines and with the emerging community participation on environmental conservation and management, the lost wealth of greater Machakos might be realized.

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