Nairobi: The government has embarked on the implementation of 31 water projects across 23 Arid and Semi-Arid (ASAL) counties, investing a substantial Sh 300 million to address the severe drought conditions impacting these regions.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Principal Secretary in the State Department for ASALs and Regional Development, Kello Harsama, announced that these projects target counties most affected by drought, such as Marsabit, Turkana, Mandera, Wajir, West Pokot, Baringo, and Tana River. Harsama highlighted the poor food security situation in these areas due to insufficient rainfall, emphasizing the strategic importance of these projects in enhancing drought resilience and improving access to clean water.
Harsama described the projects as vital for strengthening communities’ resilience against drought and boosting food security in alignment with the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda. He noted that the projects are situated in some of the most severely arid and semi-arid counties that have experienced severe drought impacts between 2021 and 2022.
On Wednesday, during the commissioning of the Kabati water project in Kieni, Nyeri County, Harsama highlighted the positive impact of the Sh 21.2 million borehole project. This initiative, a collaboration between the Kabati community, National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), and the County Government of Nyeri, features a 220-metre borehole with a solar-powered pump house and a substantial 225,000-litre concrete storage tank. The facility’s 2.9-kilometre distribution pipeline is set to provide reliable water access to over 350 households, four primary schools, and a health facility.
Harsama emphasized the project’s potential to alleviate the water collection burden for local women and support irrigation farming, thereby enhancing nutrition and food security. The project is expected to provide easy access to water, enabling residents of Kabati to irrigate their land and produce food for both domestic and commercial purposes.
Local residents have already begun to experience the benefits of the water project. Margaret Wakarindi, a dairy farmer, expressed relief at the reliable water supply, which has reduced her production costs significantly. Before the project’s completion, Wakarindi spent Sh 1000 daily to purchase water for her livestock, a cost that has now been eliminated.
Similarly, Samuel Kabui, a horticultural farmer, has utilized the borehole water for drip irrigation on nearly two acres of his farm. Kabui noted that the availability of water has reduced reliance on rain-fed agriculture, allowing for year-round farming.
During the project commissioning, PS Harsama was accompanied by Nyeri Deputy Governor Warui Kinaniri, Kieni Member of Parliament Njoroge Wainaina, NDMA Board Chairman Shallow Yahya, and NDMA Chief Executive Officer Lt Col Hared Adan. Nyeri Deputy Governor Kinaniri reaffirmed the county government’s commitment to partnering with the national government to enhance the resilience and livelihoods of Kieni residents by investing in similar projects across drought-prone areas.
