dc.title: Use case report on scenarios of water availability and use in the Central Highland Ecoregions Foodscapes (CHEF) of Kenya
dc.contributor.author: Owusu, Afua; Matheswaran, Karthikeyan; Velpuri, Naga M.; Magesa, R.; Schmitter, Petra
dcterms.abstract: This report examines water availability and usage in Kenya’s Central Highland Ecoregions Foodscapes (CHEF), highlighting the role of data-driven tools in sustainable agricultural water management. The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) has developed the Scale Invariant Water Accounting Plus (SIWA+) framework and the Securing Water Use in Agriculture (SWAG) tool to address key water challenges. SIWA+ provides insights into water inflows, outflows, and consumption, aiding policymakers in mitigating water scarcity. SWAG assesses crop water requirements, helping identify water deficits and surpluses to optimize irrigation strategies.
Findings reveal significant regional disparities in water availability and usage across the CHEF counties. While Kenya has an average utilizable flow of 21 km³ per year, that of CHEF counties range from 0.06 km³ in Kirinyaga to 1.9 km³ in Isiolo. Isiolo also faces the highest risk of water demand surpassing supply, with a basin closure fraction of 71%, whereas Nyandarua and Nakuru have the lowest risk at 54% and 55%, respectively. Rainfed agriculture dominates CHEF, covering 88% of the cropland, making the region highly susceptible to climate variability. In 2021, the CHEF region experienced a net water deficit of 255 million m³, alongside a 117 million m³ oversupply, highlighting opportunities for localized storage and redistribution to improve water resilience.
Future analysis will explore crop-specific comparisons of blue and green water use as well as water oversupply and deficits. This will also incorporate climate change scenarios and land-use planning. The insights gained from this advanced analysis will support crop specific field/farm level water management strategies aimed at enhancing food security in the region.
cg.contributor.initiative: Excellence in Agronomy