Marsabit and Turkana counties have received an additional €9 million from the German KfW Development Bank to strengthen drought resilience and support communities affected by prolonged dry conditions.
Marsabit and Turkana counties have received an additional €9 million from the German KfW Development Bank to strengthen drought resilience and support communities affected by prolonged dry conditions.
The additional funding follows the signing of an agreement between the State Department for Irrigation and the governors of Marsabit and Turkana counties for the implementation of the Drought Resilience Programme in Northern Kenya.
Principal Secretary for Irrigation Ephantus Kimotho said €2 million of the additional funding will be allocated to Turkana, while €7 million will go to Marsabit.
The programme was initially allocated €21 million, with Turkana receiving €13 million and Marsabit €8 million.
With the additional financing, the total allocation to the two counties now stands at €30 million, with each county receiving €15 million.
The programme is designed to provide sustainable solutions to drought challenges while improving livelihoods and strengthening essential infrastructure in the two counties.
Key interventions will include water harvesting, water storage and irrigation to improve access to reliable water resources.
The programme will also support animal health, rangeland management, fodder production and livestock marketing.
It will also upgrade critical infrastructure, including rural roads, sanitation facilities and health services in schools.
The initiative targets the rehabilitation of 5,000 acres of rangeland and is expected to create approximately 10,000 direct and indirect jobs.
The programme is expected to strengthen the resilience of communities in Northern Kenya and contribute to sustainable livelihoods and long-term development in the region.
The State Department for Irrigation has also affirmed that they are adequately prepared for the predicted El Niño rains, noting that they will collect the water during the October December rains.
PS Kimotho stated that they have given early warning to people in key counties to move to higher ground.
