Water stakeholders in Sipili start process of developing SMCP

By Bob Aston

Sipili Water Resource Users Association (WRUA) in collaboration with Water Resources Management Authority (WRMA) and stakeholders like Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN), Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries and the national government have started developing sub management catchment plan (SMCP). Through support from Tree Is Life Trust (TILT) the water stakeholders held a two days capacity building workshop from 14^th to 15^th October2014 at Ng’arua Maarifa Centre to start the process of coming up with the SMCP.

Speaking during the workshop, Mrs. Rahab Nyururu from WRMA noted that SMCP is an approach that enables the involvement of stakeholders in planning and sustainable management of their water, land and related resources for improved livelihoods.

She said that SMCP will enable Sipili WRUA to improve the status of the catchment and water resources within their jurisdiction.

Stakeholders following proceedings during the workshop

The process that the stakeholders will follow in order to come up with SCMP will include; sector reform which will indicate why water users are involved in water resource management (WRM), stakeholder mapping and analysis which will indicate people who should be consulted and those who will be affected by WRM in sub catchment, problem identification, analysis and prioritization, solution identification and the development of SCMP.

“Your work as stakeholders will now be to develop an initial SCMP that captures all the areas that have been included in the SCMP development process. This can at times be used as a basis for an initial application for funds if well prepared,” said Mrs. Nyururu.

The SCMP reflects a set of activities designed to meet identified objectives to address water resource management problems within the Sipili sub catchment. It also provides a framework through which various stakeholders can collaborate towards improving the water resources in a particular catchment.

Sipili WRUA is planning to complete developing the SCMP before the end of this month. Weekly capacity building trainings have now been organized to ensure the SCMP is completed as scheduled.

The Mazingira knowledge sharing kibanda at Ng’arua Maarifa Centre will act as the main platform that the stakeholders will be using when developing the SCMP and also in disseminating information about riparian and sub-catchment areas protection.