Feature

Balancing act: applying the Water-Energy-Food Nexus to promote ecosystem-based adaptation in the Ewaso Ng’iro North Catchment, Kenya

Feature

Balancing act: applying the Water-Energy-Food Nexus to promote ecosystem-based adaptation in the Ewaso Ng’iro North Catchment, Kenya

As part of the project Navigating the Water-Energy-Food Nexus for ecosystem-based adaptation in the Ewaso Ng’iro North Catchment, Kenya, the SEI project team and partners visited the Ewaso Ng’iro River and its surrounding areas to gain deeper insights into the region and its needs.

Published on 1 August 2024 / Isiolo County - Archer's post

Driving across the Archer’s Post bridge, in Samburu County, one witnesses the Ewaso Ng’iro River, once a majestic force of nature, now grappling to live up to its former glory. As you approach the riverbank, scenes of young, energetic men scooping sand into lorries for transportation and sale unfold. Approaching the river, the dry, cracked soil stretches out, making it hard to walk towards the shrinking water. The dry ground, with its deep cracks, makes each step difficult.

Sand harvesting, among various human activities, is a growing menace, quietly but quickly eroding the lifeblood of the Ewaso Ng’iro River. This encroachment on riparian land is rapidly affecting the river’s survival, thereby impacting the communities and ecosystem that rely on and thrive alongside it.

Ongoing Sand harvesting along the Ewaso Ngiro river. Photo: Charity Mutisya/SEI

Photo : Charity Mutisya/SEI

Recently, we have been experiencing the progressive consequences of misusing natural resources over the last 5 years, which is a clear indicator that things need to change. The current drought after drought phenomenon has led to the government taking action towards reversing the effects of climate change. These include community sensitization efforts to educate people about the significant impacts of climate change on their pastoral way of life. We are also securing funding through climate funds and conservancies to implement climate adaptation strategies. Additionally, we are establishing and maintaining designated areas for pasture, managed by a grazing committee, to ensure livestock have access to feed during future droughts. Promoting the growth of indigenous trees is another key focus to enhance environmental resilience. Furthermore, we are collaborating with women’s groups and schools to plant trees along riparian lands, contributing to ecological sustainability and community involvement.

Hendry Lemaiyasa – Area Chief, Waso East location.

Navigating environmental turbulence: Challenges in the Catchment

The Ewaso Ng’iro North Catchment confronts formidable environmental challenges, marked by recurrent droughts and periodic floods. These extremes threaten both the ecological integrity of the catchment and the livelihoods of communities reliant on its resources. Prolonged droughts lead to water scarcity, impacting agriculture, wildlife, and local communities. Conversely, sudden floods cause soil erosion, habitat destruction, and the displacement of populations.

The once-thriving wildlife in the North River catchment area has taken a hit due to human activities in the region. Species such as crocodiles have rapidly reduced in number migrating to other areas of the river.

Crocodiles that were once abundant along the river are now scarce and have migrated due to water scarcity upstream. Photo : Charity Mutisya/SEI

In Isiolo County, a focal point of the project, the 2023 El-Nino rains caused severe flash floods that affected over 64,000 people when the Ewaso Ng’iro River overflowed, destroying roads and isolating entire villages. Homes, farms, and water sources were damaged, putting families at risk of hunger and waterborne diseases. In the Merti sub-county, a single night of heavy rain displaced more than 3,500 people.

A day after our week-long project meeting and fieldwork in Isiolo County in November 2023, a helicopter rescue was carried out in Samburu County. Individuals stranded in a truck, swept away by floods after the Ewaso Ng’iro River burst its banks, received swift assistance. Furthermore, farming activities and heavy rainfall in the river’s upstream have shifted the original course of the Ewaso Ng’iro River, compelling herders and their animals to seek safer grounds. Isiolo town residents are grappling with water scarcity as upstream communities irrigate their farms, reducing river water flow by 50 percent.

Real-life impact: Connecting the project to the community

The visit to Archer’s Post brought project partners together with the Assistant County Commissioner of Waso Division, county officials, and community representatives. This engagement aimed to explore the challenges faced by the river-dependent community, fostering a deeper understanding and tailoring the project to meet their needs.

Local awareness of climate change, community engagement in adaptation measures, and high informational awareness within the administration were evident. However, social tensions between sand harvester groups in Isiolo and Samburu counties, along with resource scarcity leading to inter-tribal conflicts, necessitated the creation of a collaborative platform.

Representatives from the Sand Harvesters Association acknowledged the impact of sand harvesting on the river’s survival. They emphasized the necessity of alternative livelihoods, recognizing the challenge of young people depending on sand harvesting for income, affecting their education.

Sand harvesting associations implement conservation measures, but challenges persist. Negative effects on wildlife and tourism underscore the need for stronger enforcement of water regulations and sub-catchment management plans. Closing the gap in sand harvesting demand and supply chain remains crucial for sustainable resource management.

Concerns about river pollution from waste and water abstraction upstream prompted a call for data sharing and stakeholder mapping. Additionally, addressing carbon trading benefits, information gaps on carbon assessment methods, payment transparency, and property rights became essential. Conservation efforts, backed by a presidential directive on tree planting, involve distributing seedlings and utilizing apps for weather advisories.

Future Prospects: Navigating Towards Sustainable Resource Management

The residents of the Ewaso Ng’iro North Catchment Area stand to gain significant benefits from this project. They will experience enhanced resilience to climate change impacts through better access to adequate water and energy, improved food security, and sustainable development within a low-carbon green economy.

By engaging in the co-production of knowledge with stakeholders, including policy makers, local community groups, the private sector, and NGOs, residents will see more informed decision- and policy-making processes. The project’s Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) and nexus approach will ensure integrated governance and management of water, energy, food, and environmental resources. Through activities like assessing and mapping natural resources, modelling ecosystem and human security interlinkages, and evaluating various development pathways, residents will witness practical, on-the-ground solutions. Fostering stakeholder ownership, leveraging existing measures, and promoting capacity building and knowledge sharing will help embed these approaches in county and national policies. This is already underway through the current series of WEAP and LEAP tools trainings taking place in the project areas.

Ultimately, the project will bring scalable, adaptable solutions that bolster the region’s climate adaptation and mitigation efforts, promising a more resilient and secure future for all who live there.