Farmers residing in Wajir, Turkana, Garissa, Marsabit, and Isiolo Counties are set to reap the benefits of a strategic partnership between Davis & Shirtliff (D&S) and Millennium Water Alliance (MWA).
This collaboration aims to enhance food and water security in the Arid and Semi-Arid (ASAL) regions of Kenya by harnessing solar water pumping technology.
George Mbugua, CEO of D&S, emphasized that this partnership aims to address financial barriers related to clean energy access in ASAL regions.
Operating within a pre-paid pay-as-you-go financing framework, farmers will gain the opportunity to acquire solar-powered irrigation equipment from D&S through manageable installment plans.
MWA will extend partial financial support for the procurement of solar systems for selected farmers, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) as reported by Citizen Digital
By enabling farmers to leverage solar energy for irrigation and livestock care, the initiative seeks to empower ago-pastoralist communities, which are particularly susceptible to climate fluctuations.
Mbugua stated, “This initiative intends to shield them from the impacts of climate change and enhance their ability to generate food and safeguard their livelihoods.”
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The overarching objective is to amplify the number of households with reliable and sufficient water access, achieved through measures such as water point rehabilitation, regular maintenance, and collaboration with local water utilities.
MWA will also lend its support to D&S in developing the tailored pay-as-you-go system and in training teams for borehole response and repair, as well as technical staff from water utilities.
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Styvers Kathuni, Country Representative of Millennium Water Alliance, further elucidated that MWA’s involvement extends to the training of water point operators and borehole response teams. The collaboration with Davis & Shirtliff will also encompass water point development as part of corporate social responsibility efforts.
