Assessing the effectiveness of locally-led public good climate investments in water infrastructure in Makueni County

This technical brief presents the findings of a 2023 longitudinal study assessing 13 public good climate investments in water infrastructure in Makueni County, Kenya. These investments were originally implemented between 2016 and 2017 via the County Climate Change Fund (CCCF) mechanism. The study evaluated the technical sustainability, governance, and functionality of the sites seven years after implementation to provide insights into locally-led adaptation (LLA) and climate finance flows.

• A 2023 assessment of 13 water infrastructure investments implemented in 2016-2017 found that seven sites were fully functional, two were partially functional, and one was non-functional. Three sites were categorized as 'not-in-use' due to seasonality during the October 2023 visit.
• The identification and planning of the investments relied on a combination of technical data—including hydrogeological and climate information—and local knowledge gathered through community consultation and forums.
• The water investments have contributed to increased household incomes by enabling agricultural activities, such as micro-irrigation at the Ngutioni Sand Dam. Additionally, the Kwa Ndambuki Sand Dam attracted users from the neighboring Kajiado County.
• The infrastructure has improved social conditions by reducing the distance women and children must travel to secure water for domestic and livestock use.
• The Kya Aka Sand Dam became non-functional due to silting and the presence of two adjacent alternative investments, which led to the original dam being neglected.
• Sustainability is challenged by the high cost of major repairs, which often exceed the capacity of community revenue collection. While minor repairs are handled by local technicians funded through user fees, the report recommends a formal financing mechanism for long-term operations and maintenance.
• The Makueni County Government has integrated climate adaptation into its budgeting by allocating 2% of its total development budgetary cost to address climate change impacts.

APA

Jebiwott, A., Osumba, J., Orindi, V., Ododa, K., Magoma, I., Mwendwa, S., Muendo, C., Mulwa, A., Karaho, E., Redda, R., & April, A. (2024). Assessing the effectiveness of locally-led public good climate investments in water infrastructure in Makueni County. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2024-11/Technical%20Brief_Makueni_FINAL.pdf

Chicago

Jebiwott, Alice, Joab Osumba, Victor Orindi, Kennedy Ododa, Ivy Magoma, Sam Mwendwa, Caleb Muendo, et al. Assessing the effectiveness of locally-led public good climate investments in water infrastructure in Makueni County. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2024. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2024-11/Technical%20Brief_Makueni_FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{jebiwott2024assessing, author = {Jebiwott, Alice and Osumba, Joab and Orindi, Victor and Ododa, Kennedy and Magoma, Ivy and Mwendwa, Sam and Muendo, Caleb and Mulwa, Ajelica and Karaho, Esperanza and Redda, Robi and April, Amanda}, title = {{Assessing the effectiveness of locally-led public good climate investments in water infrastructure in Makueni County}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2024}, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2024-11/Technical%20Brief_Makueni_FINAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }