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Laikipia North MP Sarah Lekorere, Francis Ole Kaparo and Laikipia County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri consult during a ground breaking seremony at Naibor Amani primary school over the weekend.

Agriculture

Laikipia leaders blame large scale irrigation for increased water shortage

NYANDARUA, Kenya, March 15 – A section of leaders in Lakipia have attributed the acute water shortage and the drought ravaging parts of the county to poor management of water resources upstream.

 The leaders decried that erratic management of irrigation activities upstream was impacting negatively on the livelihoods of pastoral communities downstream who were worst hit by severe drought and were forced to walk long distances in search of the commodity.

Leaders including Laikipia North Member of Parliament Sarah Korere, Former National Assembly Speaker Francis Ole Kaparo and Laikipia Deputy Governor John Mwaniki expressed fears that the trend had affected the flow of water along the Ewaso Nyiro river.

The leaders decried the large scale farmers were undertaking irrigation activities without regard of the communities relying on the water source downstream leading to a sharp drop in the flow of water in the river.

“From Maundu Meri, Marura Narok, Veterinary up to Kinamba, the rivers are dry, the boreholes are broken and can’t work. The residents are not only buying water but feeds for their stock as they face hunger as the resources have dwindled,” Lekorere said.

Deputy Governor John Mwaniki recommended that large scale farmers using irrigation water from the rivers should be compelled to dig boreholes for communities downstream as a way of compensating them.

The leaders spoke at Naibor area in Sosian Ward of Laikipia North constituency during an engagement forum with the local communities.

Laikipia County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri and Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industrialization Amb. Johnson Weru however assured the residents of the government’s commitment to ensuring no one dies of hunger.

“The government is distributing relief food to hunger stricken families and we are lobbying for more food to reach many,” said the CC.

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“Stakeholders in the water sector are sensitizing farmers on the sustainable use of the water to avert lack downstream,” said Kanyiri, promising to work with his Nyandarua counterpart to ease the concerns.

They said more relief food would be supplied to the most affected areas.

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