UNESCO completes flood resilience project in Tana River Basin

Capital FM BusinessEditor

April 17, 2026 | 1:18 PM•2 min read

Originally published on Capital FM Business

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 17 – UNESCO has completed a one-year project aimed at strengthening flood resilience in Kenya’s Tana River Basin, a region frequently hit by devastating floods.

Dubbed Enhancing Flood Resilience in Kenya, the initiative was launched in 2025 following the deadly floods of May 2024 that exposed major gaps in preparedness and response systems.

According to the Kenya Red Cross Flood Operations Report (2024), the floods claimed at least 294 lives, displaced about 55,000 households, and destroyed large swathes of farmland and livestock, with counties in the Tana River Basin hardest hit.

The project was funded by the Japan through its supplementary budget, with technical support from the University of Tokyo.

UNESCO said the programme had initially been designed as a three-to-five-year intervention but was scaled down to one year to align with funding requirements.

Among its key achievements is the development of a Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) built on a Data Integration and Analysis System (DIAS), aimed at improving access to real-time flood data and strengthening early warning capabilities.

The project also deployed Internet of Things (IoT)-based monitoring systems to enhance real-time hydrological data collection and improve dissemination of flood warnings to at-risk communities.

In addition, it mapped aquifer recharge zones to support groundwater replenishment during floods, helping improve long-term water security in affected regions.

Speaking at the project’s closing workshop, UNESCO Regional Director for Eastern Africa Louise Haxthausen said the agency will continue engaging stakeholders to scale up and sustain the initiative.

Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eric Mugaa said the project is key to enhancing flood resilience and improving livelihoods in vulnerable counties.

Meanwhile, Japan’s Ambassador to Kenya Hiroshi Matsuura reaffirmed continued support from the Japanese government to expand similar interventions in the country.