Kenya has been experiencing a severe drought, which has become critical, with over four million people affected and several areas not experiencing any rainfall for the past three years.
Several counties have barely seen any rain since 2020. Although Kenya has experienced three drought seasons in the last decade, the current drought is considered to be the longest and most severe, with massive displacement and loss of livelihood.
Herders have now sought underground water, with the drought persisting and most of their livestock dead.
One herder, Letoyie Leroshi, made a five-day journey on foot in search of water, and when he came across a patch of wet sand on a river bed, he did not hesitate to explore it.
Leroshi gathered a group of fellow herders, and they got to work digging. Finally, after a few meters, they struck what to them was gold – water started to fill up the well, and the herders broke into a traditional song, calling their livestock to the well.
Although it is not widespread in Kenya, harnessing groundwater can effectively solve some of the problems from the country’s drought. The most significant obstacle is the enormous resources and money needed to properly tap the water on a wide scale.
According to Leroshi, four years ago, they had thousands of livestock, but when the rains did not fall for over three years, hundreds of their cattle died, and they now live with the fear that if the rains do not fall soon, they might lose all their cattle.
About four million people in Kenya are faced with severe drought and are facing the threat of starvation, a massive increase from last year when two million people were affected.
According to the United Nations, over 134,000 women are currently pregnant in the regions affected by drought, with many suffering from life-threatening conditions like malnutrition and anemia.
WaterAid, a British charity organization, and the British Geological Survey found that the African continent has a massive groundwater supply. It could be enough for most African countries to survive at least five years of drought, and with the UN estimating that around 400 million people in Africa lack clean water, this could be a huge breakthrough.
Scientists estimate that Africa has 72 large untapped aquifers, with most pastoral and farming communities in these regions already using groundwater and digging wells by hand or solar-powered equipment.
Proper construction and groundwater exploration are almost impossible without huge financing. Only 3% of the total farmland in Africa is irrigated and only 5% of that irrigated land is using water from wells and boreholes.
Most climatic and agricultural nonprofit organizations working in Africa agree that Africa would produce much more food if farmers used irrigation technology.
Two weeks ago, the Kenyan government announced an allocation of two billion Kenyan shillings, about $16.4 million, which will be used for food relief to citizens in drought-affected areas.
During the announcement, Kenyan President William Ruto said the government was working to raise 10 billion Kenyan shillings more ($83.3 million) as part of the relief fund.