Water harvesting technology from house roofs to water pans

Stakeholders in sustainable agriculture and mitigation against Climate change have urged residents of Mbeere North in Embu County to take advantage of the heavy rains to collect and store water.

The new technology of harvesting water from house roofs and flooding along the roads is directed to water pans made of dam liners that are secured and covered with a black net to reduce evaporation.

Speaking during a function to launch the water pans at Kanyueri village in Mbeere South of Embu county beneficiaries noted that the new technology will help them store enough water without necessarily purchasing water tanks.

The technology funded by the Sustainable Agriculture Community Development Project (SACDEP) an NGO working on sustainable agriculture and mitigation against climate change will cost Sh 1.5 million funded by the Turkish government.

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The County director Turkish Government development agency -TIKA Kenya, Eyup Yavuz observed that the agency will spend Sh 3.5 million on climate mitigation and lively hoods sustainable projects.

"It looks green now but the area was extremely dry when we visited three months ago. We have an annual budget of Sh 1.2 million to support lively hoods," Yavuz said.

The Director of the Sustainable Agricultural development program Kenya (SACDEP) Ngugi Mutura noted that in Partnership with TIKA, residents of Evurori had benefited from 20 water pans with a capacity of 50,000 liters each completely lined, with fence and gates adding that this will go along way in improving the lively hoods of many residents. He encouraged the residents to embrace the new technology and take advantage of the ongoing rains as the dry season beckons again.

"It is our hope that the farmers will be able to collect water that runs away to the rivers. we are also training them on diversification agriculture and table banking among others methods to mitigate against the climate change", Mutura noted.

He added that the aim was to have about 100 water pans within the area.

The Mbeere North Subcounty Agricultural Officer Samson Njagi noted that the area of Evurori among other areas of semi-arid Mbeere had not received enough rainfall for the last three years.

While calling on farmers to plant drought-resistant crops as trained, Njagi appealed to other stakeholders to join hands in the efforts to mitigate climate change.
Esther Kaari a beneficiary noted that life had changed after getting the water pans as she can now get access to fresh vegetables produced from her farm.

"I am now sure of eating fresh vegetables, free from chemicals as I only use manure from my farm," Kaari said.

She is optimistic that moving forward she will produce more and even assist her neighbours.

Another farmer Venancio Njiru noted that the technology had changed their lives and hence called upon other stakeholders to join in to expand the initiative.