Water scarcity fight: Four counties to get Sh1.3bn climate cash

Enhancing community resilience and water security in the Upper Athi /Water Resources Authority

More than 4.8 million residents in Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos and Nyandarua will benefit from a Sh1.3 billion project boosting water security and resilience in river catchment.

The four-year project, funded by the Green Climate Fund (GFC), will be implemented by the National Environment Management Authority in partnership with national and county government agencies.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the fund seeks to strengthen the resilience of communities to climate change while increasing water security in the Upper Athi River catchment.

The catchment supports millions of Kenyans, from farmers and pastoralists to industries and households in urban and rural areas.

Mudavadi said the project will directly benefit about 1.15 million people and indirectly reach about 4.85 million.

“It will reduce vulnerability to floods and droughts, improve access to clean water, enhance food and nutrition securityand build the adaptive capacity of our institutions and communities,” he said.

The counties will be responsible for operating and maintaining the infrastructure developed under the project to ensure long-term sustainability and continued benefits to communities.

The Prime CSadded that inclusion, gender equality and youth participation must remain central to the project.

Women and young people, he said, are among the most affected by climate change but are also powerful agents of change.

Environment CS Deborah Barasa said this is the first programme funded by  GFC under the Direct Access Modality in Kenya.

She said the project adds to Kenya’s growing GCF portfolio, which now has more than 19 projects valued at about Sh38 billion.

“The project is a ‘lifeline’ for the Upper Athi River catchment. Climate change is not a theoretical threat. It is our lived reality, and its impacts are felt most by our rural and vulnerable communities,” Environment and Climate Change Principal Secretary Festus Ng’eno said.

He said that Kenya has committed under its Nationally Determined Contribution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 32 per cent by 2030, with plans to push the target to 35 per cent by 2035.

Ng’eno added that adaptation and resilience building remain national priorities. The government aims to integrate climate adaptation across all sectors and levels of planning.

“The ARCA (Athi River Catchment Area) project is a clear example of this integrated approach. By focusing on Nyandarua, Kiambu, Nairobi and Machakos, we are targeting the heart of our water security,” he said.

Nemadirector general Mamo Mamo said GCF approved a grant of about Sh1.24 billion, with an additional Sh61 million provided as co-financing.

He said Kenya remains one of the most water-scarce countries in Africa, with many households depending heavily on natural resources for survival. In the Upper Athi River catchment, climate change impacts are already visible.

“Prolonged droughts in Machakos, frequent urban flooding in Nairobi and Kiambu and rising water scarcity and declining water quality across the region are clear indicators of the crisis,” he said.

He added that women and children are disproportionately affected, often spending long hours searching for water during dry periods.

Part of the funds will strengthen weather monitoring and forecasting systems in partnership with the Kenya Meteorological Department and the Water Resources Authority.

The project will support the development of a National Information Centre for integrated water resource management, improved data analysis tools, flood early warning systems and better data sharing among water sector institutions and communities.