Rainwater Harvesting & Irrigation

There are two things that every Kenyan should be doing, and I can’t believe they’re not: harvesting rainwater and using drip-irrigation. Keeping in mind that the climate varies drastically in different parts of the country, I’d still insist that at least half the country is totally inefficient with regard to its use of water.

Rainwater – it’s right there, it’s relatively clean, it’s free. Put a few buckets outside, eventually get the pesa together to guy a 1,000 L tank and jimmy-rig a gutter on your house, kinyozi or the little shed on your shamba.

An honest question, because maybe there’s an answer I’m just not aware of: Why are you walking whatever distance to your nearest river or borehole instead of collecting the water that floods your compound every day or two for at least half the year?

And the drip-irrigation – so easy! I think the rubber hosing is the only costly part, and that’s a cost I’m looking into. I talked to the Moi students about getting this started at Susan’s center. They also have to figure out how to divert water from the pipe they showed me, and maybe get permission from someone to do so. But with just a couple PVC elbows, one water tap/valve, random sticks or timber scraps and the rubber hosing, the students can easily set up drip irrigation lines along their rows of crops. I see some Kenyans doing this, but not nearly enough of them. I think this is probably an education issue, so I’m glad that Aqua Clara is promoting it around Kisii, AMPATH is using it in Eldoret and the students (particularly one) are really excited to try pursuing it in the Kerio Valley.

Of course I know that water access is a problem here, but that’s exactly why I think these two efforts are so important. I hope people aware of these approaches start doing a lot more to promote them.