BY EDMUND SMITH-ASANTE
An estimated 150,000 people from
pastoral communities, including students and teachers from six schools based in
Kenya’s Baringo, Kiambu West and Laikipia districts, are to benefit from a
€690,000 grant from the African Water Facility (AWF)) approved by the African
Development Bank (AfDB) on Friday, July 6, 2012, says a press release issued by
the African Press Organisation.
According to the release issued in
Tunis August 9, 2012, the grant will support a Kenya Rainwater Association
(KRA) pilot programme designed to help communities build resilience to droughts
and adapt to climate change through Integrated Rainwater Harvesting Management
(IRHM), with potential for greater reach in the Horn of Africa.
It said more specifically, the AWF
grant will be used to finance the implementation of the pilot’s various
activities in Kenya’s three semi-arid districts, including RHM infrastructure
development for domestic and productive use; the utilisation of complementary
water harvesting technologies to improve livelihoods and generate income;
knowledge sharing between community members; and policy advocacy based on
tangible benefits and impacts to encourage government and development partners
to scale up at national and regional levels.
Specifically, the project will
involve raising awareness in the communities on rainwater harvesting techniques
to cope with extreme water, hygiene and sanitation conditions; promoting an improved water
management model for improved yields and crop diversification and applying watershed conservation and
rangeland rehabilitation to minimise conflict over water.
Also, it will encompass
installing water tanks for
roof catchment and farm ponds for surface runoff; constructing separate ventilated improved
latrines for boys and girls; and promoting good hygiene practices such as hand-washing with soap before
meals and after using latrines.
Commenting on the grant, Akissa
Bahri, Coordinator of the African Water Facility said; “This pilot promises to
help some of the most vulnerable and isolated communities better manage
rainwater to reduce the known severe water stress experienced in the drylands
and to achieve water security,” adding, “We hope the results will serve as reference
for governments to scale up to reach more communities and improve their lives
and livelihoods.”
The Kenya project is one of six case
studies conducted in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda designed to evaluate
the performance of rainwater harvesting systems in the region with the aim of
promoting “best practices” in water management for improving water supply and
food security and will be implemented by the Kenya Rainwater Association
(KRA), the Government of Kenya and targeted communities.
On the other hand, the African Water
Facility (AWF), an initiative of the African Ministers’ Council on Water
(AMCOW) hosted by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and established in 2004,
helps African countries meet the goals and targets for the water and sanitation
sector set by the Millennium Development Goals 2015 and the Africa Water Vision
2025.
AWF’s mission is to mobilise
resources to build the financial base necessary to multiply water projects
designed to ensure water, food and energy security in Africa, in a context of
sustainable and inclusive growth.
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