Use technology to combat climate change, experts told

Sanitation and hygiene experts have been challenged to come up with solutions to fight effects of climate change in the world.

Speaking during a meeting of the 14th Wash forum which brought together water supply practitioners from East Africa and technology experts from around the world, water practitioners said the drought situation in the country can be mitigated.

During the conference the experts came up with ways of using technology to combat climate change and ideas on what can be done to save more water and reduce pollution in catchment areas.

The World Wildlife Fund Fresh Water Thematic lead in Kenya William Ojwang said the forum is coming at an opportune time when Kenya is facing a severe drought.

Currently, he said, Kenya is staring at food insecurity, adding that there is a need to manage its water resources.

"So, we are looking at the catchment areas, how to secure the catchment areas and enhance water production, and downstream we ensure that we reduce water pollution. We will reduce loss of water, particularly non-revenue water," he said.

He said people, particularly Wash practitioners, should join hands and come up with solutions to make sure the little water that is available is made accessible to Kenyans.

Ojwang also reminded supply practitioners to pay attention to the catchments where the water comes from.

"Supply yes, but are we really paying attention to where the water is coming from and taking an integrated approach to water resources management?" he said.

The WWF official said there is a need to empower communities with resources to implement catchment management plans and secure the key water resources.

He said so far Kenya depends on free water flow and requires innovative measures to prevent pollution

Marlies Batterin from Acqua for All Organisation based in the Netherlands said they have been in Kenya for the last 20 years working on Sustainable Development Goal Six, which is about water sanitation and hygiene.

She said they have been supporting Wash initiatives for the last five years and financing such initiatives, adding that the financing for water and sanitation gap for 2030 is huge.

Batterin said Innovate for Wash Forum in Malindi was aimed at showcasing a few of their programmes together, which they have with Kenyan partners in mobilising finance for Wash.

She also said they wanted to clarify the barriers to unlock commercial finance for water and sanitation.

The conference brought together 120 participants from different areas, including technology, suppliers, financiers and tech organisations.

Batterin said they need everybody to come together to have fruitful conversation to unlock finance for water for Wash.

"Major barriers to unlocking commercial finance for water is that the finance sector does not really understand the challenges in water and sanitation entrepreneurship and its opportunities because it is different from financing agriculture and energy," she said.

Quercus Group Limited managing director Mariam Njoroge said the Innovative for Water and Sanitation forum brought together people from the East African countries.

Quercus consultancy firm deals with enterprise development within water sanitation and waste management.

She said they did that for marketplaces which brought development and opportunities for finance and technology all geared at providing solutions for water, sanitation and hygiene.

In the coming years, she said, the forum will be improved more for it to have a holistic perspective to anchor it along the energy, food and water because they cannot isolate water in what they do.

She said the country is faced with drought and cholera all of which are caused by lack of access to unsafe, clean and safe water.

Zdislaw Iwanejko, the founder and CEO of Wash Innovation Company, which designs and produces portable hand washing stations for emergency situations, said the machine is portable and easy to set up.

He said one is able to wash hands without touching the tap which is very important in preventing diseases, such as cholera or Ebola.

(edited by Amol Awuor)