Disentangling human and animal water use in rural Kenya
Topics:
Keywords: water security, groundwater, rural livelihoods, animal agriculture; multiple use water services
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract
Authors:
Patrick Thomson, University of Oxford
Cliff Nyaga, FundiFix Water Services Trust
Peter Mugo, FundiFix Water Services Trust
Will Ingram, University of Oxford
,
,
,
,
,
,
Abstract
Water use for agriculture, in particular watering livestock, is a key contributor to food security and rural livelihoods in areas where animal husbandry is a significant economic and cultural activity, such as Kitui County in eastern Kenya. In this area water for animal and human consumption often derive from the same shallow groundwater sources, especially during times when there is no surface water available for animal use. The concept of multiple-use water services (MUS) in rural areas is well-stablished, but empirically disentangling these multiple uses is difficult. Advances in technology have provided new data on levels and patterns of water use in rural areas. Recent research has highlighted, and quantified, seasonal and weather-dependant variation in abstraction from these water sources. Determining the implications of these patterns of use for public health and the sustainability of water services is limited by our (in)ability to disaggregate human and livestock consumption. In this study we take data from automatic water kiosks, a.k.a. water ATMs, managed by FundiFix, a rural water maintenance service provider operating in Kitui County, to disaggregate human and livestock water use of groundwater. We then estimate their relative contributions to changes in water use throughout the year and discuss possible implications of these patterns.
Disentangling human and animal water use in rural Kenya
Category
Paper Abstract