The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Japan are set to commence rehabilitation of community water management structures in Kenya and Rwanda.
The program which targets to improve water access for household use and irrigation to improve food security will target 31,375 people in eastern Africa.
“This project is timely to support the livelihoods of vulnerable communities in the two countries and serve as proof of concept that disastrous floods may be turned into productive use by rehabilitating water infrastructures to mitigate immediate impacts while addressing some of the root causes of these repeated shocks in Kenya and Rwanda,” said Farayi Zimudzi, FAO acting Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa.
In Kenya, the project support the construction of community water reservoirs in Migori County to store excess water which would otherwise cause flooding and destroy road infrastructure, farms and settlements in the lowlands.
The water reservoirs will have the capacity to 70,000 cubic metres of the storm runoff and support about 500 households or 2,500 people to irrigate over 100 acres of land that will be planted with nutritious crops and certified hybrid rice seeds.
Additionally, the project will also empower youth and women entrepreneurs for income generation through grain threshers that will be used in rice and cereals at a fee.
FAO says five groups will be formed across the rice growing areas with each group having 10 members, supporting 50 households equivalent to 250 people.
“Through this project, in partnership with the FAO, I am confident that the vulnerable communities of Kenya and Rwanda will overcome the challenges to alleviate food insecurity. Japan is not only willing to make its efforts to promote the development of Africa but is also very keen to learn from Africa,” added Tetsuto Inagaki from the Mission of Japan to the African Union.
Similarly the project will see rehabilitation of flood control canals, retention ponds and culverts in Rutsiro and Burera Districts supporting 5,775 households or 28,875 people.
The two organizations will also conduct awareness campaigns and training sessions to inform communities on water-related disaster risks, preparedness, and responses.
The project is expected to help the region address food insecurity which is affecting an estimated 41 million people identified as highly food insecure.
The high food insecurity in eastern Africa is attributed to climate extremes, including a historic six-season drought across the Horn of Africa and severe flooding, conflict and insecurity, and economic challenges, including currency depreciation, and high food prices.
