This archive report was first published on 12 May 2020.
Kenya is facing a severe water scarcity and food insecurity crisis, with the recent heavy rains causing devastating floods and landslides that have displaced over 100,000 people and killed an estimated 200.
Most dams in the country are filled to capacity, with some having burst their banks, sweeping away large tracts of land under cultivation, including 8,000 acres of rice paddy, and domestic livestock.
According to food technologist Eunice Kandie, the threat of a food insecurity crisis is real, and the effects of the heavy rains may also cause water scarcity, a major constraint to life and economic development, especially with 80 per cent of the country arid or semi-arid.
One of the solutions to provide long-term solutions to Kenya's water resource problems is rainwater harvesting, which has existed for decades but has low adoption rates despite its numerous benefits.
Kenya is categorized as a water-insecure country, falling short of the UN threshold of 1,700 cubic meters per capita, with only 1,000 cubic meters of renewable fresh water supply per capita.
There are two main rainwater harvesting methods: Roof water harvesting, which most Kenyans practise for domestic needs, and ground catchment harvesting, which involves the construction of dams to tap run-off water and serve a large population.
However, recent scandal-ridden projects, such as the Itare, Kimwarer, and Arror dams, have hindered the development of ground catchment technologies.
Water security and management are crucial to combat food insecurity and enhance economic growth, and a simple water tank that stores rainwater collected from roof gutters at home can be the main source of water for a family.
As an example, Singapore has excelled in combating the threat of water insecurity through storm water optimisation by controlling its water supply and flooding, with an extensive network of canals and drains spanning over 8,000 kilometres.
Were Kenya to take rainwater harvesting seriously, it would not only enjoy water security during the dry seasons, but also tame the adverse effects of flooding and landslides during the rains.
— Eunice Kandie, food technologist (@EuniceKandie)
