Climate Variability and Water Resources in Kenya : The Economic Cost of Inadequate Management

Eighty percent of Kenya is arid and
semi-arid land; yet despite chronic water scarcity, the
country has developed only 15 percent of its available safe
water resources. Demand for water is expected to rise, owing
to population increases and growing requirements for
irrigated agriculture, urban and rural populations,
industries, livestock, and hydropower. Meanwhile, climate
variability and the steady degradation of water resources
cost Kenya at least 3.3 billion Kenyan shillings (Ksh)
annually. Between 1997 and 2000, the El Nino-La Nina floods
and droughts cost an estimated 290 billion Ksh, or 14
percent of gross domestic product (GDP) for the period.
While it is not economical to avoid all costs, many of them
can be minimized by increased investments in management and
infrastructure, and more efficient, accountable, and
participatory management and operation of the water sector.