The initial rock catchments for obbitu was
found not to be viable due to various reasons by the engineer Guglielmo
who came together with Dr.Pino. some of the reasons included.
1. deforestation and clearing of vegetation will destruct the environment
2. water velocity is high thus requires heavy and strong reinforcement
for walls or a big lake like dams to collect water. This makes the project
very costly.
3. Keeping away monkeys and other wild animals from an open water source
is very difficult therefore will contaminate the water.
4. the water reservoir which stores water is open therefore mosquitoes
will breed making children vulnerable to malaria incidence in obbitu
village
Therefore an alternative water project was
borne. The project will address both the interest of obbitu village
and neighbouring raamole village.
Site visit was planned by Dr pino on 21st Febuary 2012. Those present
during the meeting were
1. Gufu Guyo – CIPAD
2. Gufu Duba _ mondeco representative
3. Dr,pino
4. James bonaya roba – contractor
5. 3 village elders from Raamole representing community
2 sites were visited as discussed below
1. COMMUNITY WATER PAN
This site is natural depression which collects water becoming a reservoir
during rainy season. The water which feeds the depression flows from
dakakate hills. The water velocity is not very high hence flows as run
offs into the community pan.
The distance is about 300m on the eastern side of the village. The size
is about 30m in width and 60m length.
The community managed to dig using local tools for digging. Approximately
10m x15m with a depth of about 20cm was excavated.
After this observation the project team
consulted one another and made the following conclusion.
1. The depression is larger than expected for the project. There fore
very expensive to excavate the whole area
2. The team appreciated the skills of the community to identify such
accurate site and also started digging on their own with their own tools.
3. The project to assist the community to expand the length, width and
the depth.
by providing them with digging tools like wheelbarrows, spades, mattock
and pangas.
It was agreed that this tools for community floods response be used
to for raamole community.
After the team agreed the community leaders were consulted on their
intention for the pan and how they think they can be assisted.
The community leaders requested to be provided with tools to help them
dig deeper and increase the size to collect more water. They further
requested for cash for work to assist the families of the people who
continue digging in the pan as they are also bread winner for the family.
This last request was not accepted due to making the cost very high
and also fears to create dependency on the project with out community
contribution.
The objective of the pan is to provide domestic
water use for raamole community nearer the village and reduce the distance
to walk to raamata dam about 2km away from the village.
The community leaders accepted the assistance from the project teams
to provide digging equipments.
The tools will be provided as soon as the community is ready to start
the pan.
The second site was visited by the project
team only. The aim is to identify the site to establish the water project
for obbitu children village around dakakate hill near obbitu village
Project name – Obbitu village green house water project.
Aim of the project- to provide water for irrigation for fruits and vegetables
PROJECT DESIGN
A water pan is constructed to completion. The floor of the pan will
be carpeted with a plastic sheet to stop water penetration into the
ground. The roof is also covered with a green net which will reduce
evaporation by 75%. The pan will be rectangular in shape
Water flowing from dakakate hill through gravitational force is channeled
into the pan. After the pan is full the water is re-channeled away from
the pan. The water will be used for irrigation to grow vegetables and
fruits for obbitu village.
The size of the pan is estimated as 10m width x 20m length x3m depth.
The volume of water expected to be collected and stored is about 600,000
litres of water.
Another green house for nursey and seedling s of vegetables and fruits
is established near by , water is then either pumped to irrigate or
manually by a employed worker who will provide protection from wild
animals like monkeys, or thieves who might damages or steals.
The site is adjacent to obbitu children on the eastern side at the foot
of dakakate hill. The estimate cost of the project is approximately
1.4 – 1.5 million Kenya shillings.
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
The project will be implemented through collaboration with government
ministries like water and agriculture.CIPAD will acquire about 800metres
of land along dakakate hill for this project and pasture for dairy goats
from AMREF project. The construction will be by full contract to bonaya
roba who has experience from an already completed such project just
near obbitu along the road to ramata dam.
The project after completion will serve obbitu children only. If the
project is successful then it can be expanded to increase the volume
of water stored in the pan.
PROJECT PERIOD.
The project is expected to start before the end of March, 2012 and completed
by the middle April. This was found important because the water from
long rain is expected in April and May will be needed to be harvested
into the pan or otherwise no water will be harvested until short rain
in October and November.
Therefore it is my request and prayer that Andrea Bollini comes within
middle of March to start off the project.
Gufu Guyo
Program coordinator CIPAD