Farmers in Nakuru County are set to benefit from a water project aimed at boosting their agricultural activities thus increase yield.
The project under the NIDP dubbed Gitiri Dam Water Complex between Nakuru and Nyandarua counties is intended to achieve the possibilities of water sharing between the two counties, Governor Kinuthia Mbugua has said.
To achieve this project, an Inter-County Technical Taskforce was developed as the inter-county mechanism for coordination of the Gitiri Dam Water Complex and to establish modalities of work.
According to the objectives of the task-force, there will be establishment of workable areas of commonalities both logistical and financial between the two counties with respect to Gitiri Dam Water Complex Project, to estimate consumptive water use for agriculture in the counties for farmers, water managers, horticulture farms, researchers and government agencies.
"To quantify consumptive use for more informed water use practices, consistent measures of the allocation among stakeholders, and improves planning and also to provide an accurate estimate of consumptive use of water in Nakuru and Nyandarua Counties," reads part of the objectives.
Speaking on Wednesday in a meeting with his Nyandarua counterpart Daniel Mwangi Waithaka, Mbugua said the water project will lead to job creation, for permanently, skilled and semi-skilled labor as well as indirect jobs.
"The project will also provide modern, improved, efficient, and effective infrastructure built to appropriately serve the functionality of the project and will use elements of green power generation using hydro-power, solar and wind, and hence self- sustaining in terms of power needs," said Mbugua.
He also said the project will provide water for institutions such as schools and hospitals as well as supplementing towards irrigation schemes which can address environmental issues through establishing tree nurseries for crop diversification.
This, he said, will consequently yield stable and reliable outputs, and hence contribute to poverty alleviation in the areas.
The water project will provide Naivasha residents with a safer source of consumable water that will do away with the fluoride water they have been consuming for decades.