Mugaa said this will be attained through initiatives such as investing in water harvesting.
The CS challenged the agency to work on key issues including water harvesting for arid and semi-arid counties.
Water, Sanitation and Irrigation CS Eric Mugaa (centre) during the launch of the Water Resource Authority strategic plan.
Water, Sanitation and Irrigation CS Eric Mugaa has reiterated the government's commitment to ensure the country attains food security.Mugaa said this will be attained through initiatives such as investing in water harvesting.The CS was speaking during the launch of the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority (NWHSA) strategic plan on
Wednesday.Mugaa termed the strategic plan as a roadmap aimed at developing infrastructure that will resolve the ongoing recurring droughts and flood problems in the country.“This infrastructure is key for water storage. Water storage is the only way this country can stop relying on rainfall to be productive," Mugaa said."As a government, we have the mandate to ensure that Kenyans have food security, and food security can only be attained if we invest in water harvesting so that we rely on that water during the dry season,” he said. The CS challenged the agency to work on key issues including water harvesting for arid and semi-arid counties, mitigation of drought by developing water trucks to provide water in drought-affected areas and resource mobilisation where the plan targets Sh60 billion shilling in five years.The strategic plan for the Financial Year 2023/2027 focuses
on addressing solutions to tackle climate change, water storage, and flood
control.
Mugaa emphasised that the challenges offer an opportunity
for learning, and to leverage mutual collaboration and reservation noting that the
country has been depending on rain-fed agriculture.
Mugaa also stated that uncertain rainfall patterns have driven
to the agency into building key infrastructure projects including the ongoing Siyoi
Muruny' Dam, Soin-Koru Dam, Umaa Dam and the Thwake Dam.
The CS noted that the strategic plan shapes the priorities
of both the agency and the ministry, laying a foundation for meeting the goals
and objectives.
Mugaa emphasised that the ministry has developed strong
strategies to support institutions and their agencies in fulfilling their
responsibilities efficiently while ensuring that the policies follow a
structured framework for decision-making and operations.
“We have enshrined consistency and accountability with
clearly defined roles and responsibilities of agencies to avoid overlap of
mandate,” he said.
The CS said the plan had been developed through wide
consultative efforts of all stakeholders.
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