In Laikipia County, where over 80% of the land is arid or semi-arid and rainfall is scarce, food insecurity has long been a reality for many households. Agriculture, the backbone of the local economy, employs more than 60% of the population and contributes 75% of household income. With 96% of cropland being rain-fed and unpredictable weather patterns worsening due to climate change, families often face hunger, poverty, and reliance on food aid.
Against this backdrop, Saint Martin Catholic Social Apostolate (CSA), with the generous support of the Provincia Autonoma Di Trento and the Fondation Assistance Internationale, has launched the Emergency Drought Response (ERP-Water) Project. This timely intervention aims to provide sustainable solutions to water scarcity and improve food security for the most vulnerable in Laikipia West.
Turning Scarcity into Opportunity
Household Water Tanks
Eighteen households in Ol Moran and Ndurumo, each with a member with disabilities, have received 10,000-litre water tanks. Beyond ensuring access to clean and safe water, these tanks ease the burden of caregivers, freeing their time for other productive household and income-generating activities.
Multi-Storey Kitchen Gardens
Each beneficiary household has also received four kitchen garden kits (six storey each), alongside seeds and seedlings. With training from Laikipia County Agricultural Officers, families are now growing a variety of vegetables at their doorstep. These gardens are enriching diets, reducing household expenditure on food and providing surplus produce for sale.
Community Water Pans
To strengthen resilience, the project is rallying communities to dig and maintain 30 water pans across Ndurumo, Mutamaiyu, and Lorian, alongside two school pans at Mathira and Ainapmoi. With dam liners to prevent seepage, these pans will provide low-cost irrigation water, enabling continuous farming, better yields, improved nutrition, and livestock support.
Capacity building for Resilient Livelihood Promoters
A network of trained community volunteers (Resilient Livelihood Promoters) are at the heart of this project. Equipped with knowledge in climate-smart agriculture, they are championing water management practices, promoting climate-resilient crops, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the interventions. Each of the project beneficiaries is attached to a resilient livelihood promoter to ensure close monitoring for the project activities progress.
A New Dawn for Laikipia
For too long, drought and food insecurity have defined the lives of many families in Laikipia West. Today, thanks to the ERP-Water Project, households are beginning to experience a new dawn. With reliable water, thriving kitchen gardens, and community-driven initiatives, vulnerable families are regaining dignity, resilience, and hope.
St. Martin CSA will establish Model farms at Mathira and Ainapmoi Primary Schools to serve as live classrooms for pupils and surrounding communities. These sites will showcase climate-smart farming methods, inspire innovation, and ensure knowledge is passed on to the next generation.
Farm produce from school farms supported by the water pans will complement the school’s feeding program.
1 Comment
This is truly a transformative initiative that is restoring hope and resilience in Laikipia by turning water scarcity into sustainable opportunities for vulnerable families.