Access to water in Kenya

Increasing variation in Kenya’s climate is evident, expressed in terms of irregular rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, and increased flooding intensity. The increasing population causing pressure on water catchments has, in the absence of investments, resulted in reduced freshwater availability. In this context, the agriculture sector continues to play a vital role in the rural economy. The sector was one of the first to fully devolve the function of service provision to the county governments underscoring the importance of County Governments’ role in ensuring food security. Strengthening water access and improving the performance of the agricultural sector by engaging of the poorest and most vulnerable communities is a necessary condition for achieving recovery and growth in Kenya after recent years of drought and slow development.

ENV conducted the ex-post evaluation of four projects funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by ASDF with the technical support of arche noVa and in partnership with KALRO, KEFRI, and Country Governments in Makueni, Machakos, and Kitui counties, Kenya. Envisioned as a programme, the four projects were implemented over a period of seven years between December 1st, 2012, and December 31st, 2019. The programme engaged 17 community-based organizations (Self-Help Groups) with the aim of empowering 27 villages (800 direct and 20,900 indirect beneficiaries) with practical knowledge, skills, and low-tech infrastructure in order to attain sufficient water, food, and nutrition security and ability to adapt to climate change.