Water quantity, quality into Lake Naivasha improves

Water quality and quantity flowing into Lake Naivasha has improved by more than 30 per cent in last four years due to concerted efforts to protect its catchment area.

Under the project dubbed Payment for Environmental Services (PES), water levels and quality in the troubled lake are expected to rise even further.

This came as farmers in the lake's catchment area noted that under the programme, crop production had risen by over 150 per cent.

This emerged during the project officers' visit to farmers who have benefited from the programme in Wanjohi area of Kipipiri in Nyandarua County.

Under PES, farmers plant fodder crop and trees along contour lines, leave the riparian mainly along rivers uncultivated and plant high value crops.

According to World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) project liaison officer Daniel Koros, more than 1,500 farmers had benefited from the programme.

"We are working with other partners to increase the number of farmers to 3,000 by 2016 under this project," says Koros.

Koros says that under the project, farmers in the catchment area were getting a token of appreciation from flower farmers in Naivasha.

"Under the project, the farmers construct terraces and plant nappier grass to avoid soil erosion, which has, in the past, affected many farmers on this sloppy area," he points out.

Koros notes that earlier siltation was affecting the water quality and quantity in the catchment area but under the PES programme this has changed.

He adds that due to frost, the nappier grass was affected, forcing them to introduce a new variety called Kakamega 1, which was resistant to frost.

"We have since seen dairy production rise and we are also supplying the farmers with tree and fruits seedlings under this project," he says.

One of the farmers who has benefited from the programme Samuel Gichuki Ngotho, says his potato production had risen from 100 to 150 bags annually.

Gichuki, whose farm is five acres admitted that before embarking on the project, his farm was losing a lot of productive soil which was affecting production.

The father of 11 says that under the project, he has been able to educate his children using proceeds from his farm.

"I have learnt a lot of lessons under PES, which has seen me improve my farming practice and as a result production has also risen," he says.

The chairman of all the 12 Water Resources User Association Enock Kiminta, says since the project started, farmers had benefited from close to Sh6m.

Kiminta is optimistic that though the full results and benefits had not been felt, farmers were embracing the project with many joining in.

"Under this project, flower farmers in the lower catchment who are the buyers are giving back to small scale farmers in the upper catchment," he says.

Kiminta admits that this year's funds were less than last year due to various taxes slapped on flower farmers and the impasse on the EPA," he concludes.