2 days Ago By KNA2
Some 400 residents and pupils of two schools in Barwessa, Baringo County have a reason to smile after the government commissioned a Sh9.8 million water project in the area. Barwessa in Baringo North Sub County is basically an arid zone, and water shortage has been a big problem in the area, with some residents being forced to trek for up to 10 kilometres in search of the precious commodity.
However, they can now breathe a sigh of relief, courtesy of a water kiosk at Barwessa Secondary school, benefiting the school fraternity and also members of the nearby community. The project was commissioned Friday by the State Department for Irrigation PS Ephantus Kimotho and the Baringo North Member of Parliament Joseph Makilap to the jubilation of the area residents and the learners of both Barwessa secondary and Barwessa primary school. Speaking during the function, Kimotho said the project will alleviate the community water needs and also improve food security for the beneficiary students.
He said through the programme, the school can generate enough food for themselves, and even sell the surplus to generate extra income. “There is an economic benefit, where through drip irrigation, Barwessa secondary school will no longer be buying food, but will save money and put more land under irrigation, where they will sell the surplus food,” he said. The PS was delighted that through the project the distance to water point had been drastically reduced for the area residents.
“We are happy that our mothers who used to trek for many kilometres to fetch water will now get it right here,” said Kimotho. The PS also added that he will liaise with his Environment counterpart Dr. Festus Ng’eno to enlist the school for carbon credit programme, where each student in the school will plant and adopt a tree.
“Such a programme will help in water sustainability as the trees will assist in recharging of underground water,” explained Kimotho. On top of the benefits, the PS added that the project will instill agricultural skills to the students, which they can practice after school to eke a living. “The goal is to revolutionize irrigation in order to address the issue of food security and fight climate change effects, since the project has mechanization and precision farming aspects, which will attract youths,” said the PS.
He assured that they have mapped all the areas with non-seasonal rivers with an intention of building check dams. He said that the program which started in 2016 has been accomplished in 268 schools, whereas the target is 2000 schools in the first phase across the country. On his part, the area MP in his speech confirmed that Barwesa irrigation scheme had a potential of covering 1000 acres.
Makilap thanked the government for the micro irrigation program saying that it would create job opportunities for the residents of Baringo North. The County TSC Director Miriam Kosgei said the programme was very important to them, since water issues were critical in the area. Kosgei further lauded the programme, saying it would impart farming skills among the students, which they will adopt after completing their education.
The Micro Irrigation for School Programme that started in 2016 targets 2000 schools across the country and does 23 projects annually, where the government sinks a borehole, puts up a community water kiosk, a school water point and two greenhouses complete with drip irrigation system. The programme’s objective is to improve food security, nutrition and agricultural education by implementing efficient water management systems in schools through drip irrigation by use of solar powered boreholes..
