The Ministry of Water, Energy, and Climate Change requires a multi-sectoral Strategic Plan, underpinned by a strong community consultation process to prioritize investments. These include investments that are made from the County budget, and also by other actors intending to contribute to water, energy and environmental service delivery and natural resource management in the County.
The lack of such a Strategy and consultation process in Isiolo County has held back progress and limited the effectiveness of many County and donor- supported interventions in the past.
The objectives of the Sector Strategic Plan are to:
- Sustain and enhance the natural resource base, including water, energy and other resources;
- Enable the County Officers to provide required services to the populations in the County, including safe and afford- able access to water, energy, sanitation and environmental services;
- Ensure effective participation and coordination in prioritizing and decision-making;
- Provide a framework for collaboration/partnerships be- tween Isiolo County Government and other stakeholders/ actors in the sector
Major Challenges
- Water scarcity: 65% of the county is classified as ‘very arid’. Accessing reliable water sources in some areas is a major constraint. This has led to continual use of water bowsers which is an expensive undertaking. Water use efficiency is not well promoted and understood.
- Dynamic ecosystems: Seasonal and inter-annual climatic changes can have dramatic effects on the balance processes affecting ecosystem productivity and water and food security, particularly during droughts and floods.
- High cost of energy for water supplies: Due to fluctuation of fuel costs, including unpredictable price-rises, it has been very costly to run the water supply facilities using diesel-powered gensets.
- Poor water quality: the high salinity of water from some boreholes has resulted in their under utilization. The county has no capacity to put up modern water purification plants. Catchment management is also required to ensure quality and prevent contamination.
- Poor solid waste management and disposal within urban centres: services for solid waste collection and disposal are operational on a daily basis in Isiolo town, but no such services are available in other urban centres in the County 6. Institutional challenges: Underfunding, lack of capacities, and governance issues.
