The National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority (NWHSA) has launched its strategic plan for the financial year 2023/2027 which aims at finding solutions to tackle climate change, water storage and flood control.
Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary (CS) Eng Eric Mugaa termed the strategic plan as a blueprint geared towards actualization of the infrastructure that will put an end to the recurring droughts and floods problems.
Speaking during the launch, the CS said that the challenges impacting the efforts in adapting to climate change include issues related to low investments in infrastructure and development, trans boundary natural water and resources, inconsistency in data and information and human settlement,” said Eng. Mugaa.
He emphasized that the challenges offer an opportunity for learning, leverage mutual collaboration and reservation, noting that the country has been relying on rain fed agriculture and due to unpredictable rainfall patterns, the agency decided to take the mandate to build key infrastructure projects including the ongoing Thwake dam amongst others.
The CS noted that the strategic plan shapes the priorities of both the Agency and the Ministry, laying a foundation for meeting the goals and objectives.
Eng. Mugaa noted that the Ministry has put in place robust strategies to help institutions and agencies to discharge their mandates effectively and efficiently to ensure that the policies follow a structured framework for decision making and operations.
“We have enshrined consistency and accountability with clearly defined roles and responsibilities of agencies to avoid overlap of mandate,” he said, adding that the plan has been developed through wide consultative efforts of all stakeholders.
At the same time, he said that it is aligned with the medium-term plan to expand land under irrigation, increase water storage for multipurpose use to a tune of 125 million cubic liters by the year 2027 which will increase access to safe and clean water and protect the people from the effects of drought and floods.
Further, he said that the plan is aligned to the transformative government agenda and Vision 2030 which prioritize water for irrigation.
“The plan is based on eight strategic objectives which set out activities which will help realize the authority’s mission, and vision,” said Eng. Mugaa.
The CS challenged the agency to work on key issues including water harvesting for arid and semi-arid counties, mitigation of drought by developing water trucks to provide water in drought affected areas and resource mobilization where the plan targets Sh60 billion shilling in five years.
“If the country ventures in the fore mentioned issues and finds solutions, the effects of climate change in the country would have been mitigated making Kenya a food secure country,” he stated, adding that the National projects will easily take off since water is a key development enabler.
The CS urged the authority to ensure full implementation of the plan so as to prioritize service delivery by ensuring that all stakeholders fast track implementation of projects within the stipulated timelines.
By Sharon Atieno
