The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a Record of Discussions (R/D) with the Government of the Republic of Kenya on December 15 in Nairobi on the technical cooperation project “Strengthening Rural Water and Sanitation Implementation Capacity for Better Living”.
More than 80% of Kenya’s land area is arid and semi-arid, making it vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The water access rate (i.e., access to an improved water source with a round trip time of 30 minutes or less, including waiting time) in rural areas is 52% compared to 87% in urban areas, and the government budget for improving access is very limited. While construction of new water supply facilities is necessary to improve water access rates, another effective approach is to improve existing facilities to extend their lifespan and increase user convenience by reducing waiting times.
This project will install solar panels and other equipment to power hand pumps in the target counties in Kenya. This is expected to increase water supply volume, increase the population supplied, and reduce labor for fetching water more efficiently than drilling new wells. The project will also develop practice-based guidelines for improving such existing water supply facilities and strengthen the capacity of the target counties to improve and manage their local water supply facilities. In turn, this will contribute to the implementation of sustainable improvement of local water supply facilities by local governments and development partners across the country, contributing to SDG Goal 3 (health and well-being for all), Goal 6 (safe water and latrines worldwide), and Goal 13 (concrete measures to combat climate change).
© Source JICA
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