Nairutia: In a laudable effort to resolve severe water shortage in the remote Nairutia area of Nyeri county, Mutitu Water Project has delivered the first batch of 5,000-litre water tanks for its 100 members. The initiative is aimed at increasing the residents’ water security by providing a means of water harvesting and storage during the rainy season in the drought-prone area.

According to Kenya News Agency, the chairman of Mutitu Water Project, Joseph Kagiri, stated that the initiative will also support the residents’ transition from rain-fed to irrigation farming. Kagiri emphasized the region’s classification as arid and semi-arid, facing challenges such as drought, inadequate sanitation, and water scarcity. He noted that the project will enable residents to establish kitchen gardens, allowing them to grow their own food and reduce reliance on food donations, especially during the dry season.

Kagiri disclosed plans to extend the project to all of its 6,000 members spread across Nyeri, Laikipia, and Nyandarua counties. The tanks were purchased through a partnership between the community water project and Caritas Microfinance Bank. Through this collaboration, the microfinance will extend a loan facility to members of Mutitu Water Project, allowing them to acquire a water tank and repay the loan over one and a half years.

Kagiri remarked that the partnership is a relief to members, many of whom are farmers unable to pay the full Sh 27,000 upfront for a 5,000-litre water tank. With a kitchen garden, they will not only get vegetables for daily subsistence but also sell the surplus to service the loan.

Mary Mithaa, a beneficiary, praised the empowerment initiative, noting that the water tanks will make it easier for her to store adequate water for domestic consumption and farming during the dry season. Mithaa expressed that the water tank will save her time and energy previously spent traveling long distances in search of water.

Her sentiments were echoed by John Chege, a dairy farmer, who said that with the arrival of the tank in his compound, he is assured that his livestock and family will have a constant supply of clean drinking water.