Upper tana-nairobi water fund trust
Our Work
So, how does this all work?
So, how does this all work?
Water Funds are designed to enhance financial and governance mechanisms which unite public, private and civil society stakeholders around water security. Water funds center around a common goal of strengthening water security through nature-based solutions and long-term watershed management.
Water Funds are designed to enhance financial and governance mechanisms which unite public, private and civil society stakeholders around water security. Water funds center around a common goal of strengthening water security through nature-based solutions and long-term watershed management.
Downstream water users, such as businesses, utility companies, and local governments, invest in water security through the Upper Tana-Nairobi Water Fund Trust. Investment such as these are less costly to the downstream users than mitigating low-quality water or insufficient access to water once it reaches its destination.
With this funding, and with years of expertise, the UTNWF Trust then builds relationships with tens of thousands of farmers upstream to implement activities upstream that are needed to conserve and restore the water source.
Some of the methods that are used to protect the natural systems and generate value throughout the watershed are:
- Agroforestry
- Rainwater harvesting in waterpans
- Terracing of steep lands
- Riparian buffers
- Grass strips on gentle sloping lands
- Restoration and reforestation of forests
- Extension support services on sustainable land management practices.
The Nairobi Water Fund builds on The Nature Conservancy’s experience addressing similar issues in Latin America, where more than 30 water funds are either underway or in development. This fund is the first of its kind in Africa and will serve as a model as leaders across the continent look for innovative ways to solve ever-increasing water challenges.