Kenya RAPID Activity

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This document presents the results of an impact evaluation of the Kenya Resilient Arid Lands Partnership for Integrated Development Activity’s (Kenya RAPID) borehole sensor intervention. A five year (2015–2020), US$35.5 million activity implemented under a Global Development Alliance, Kenya RAPID was co-funded by USAID, the Swiss Development Corporation, private sector partners and the Millennium Water Alliance and its sub-recipients.

The intervention component of Kenya RAPID that the team evaluated involved installation of sensors on a set of “strategic” boreholes — defined as those deemed critical during periods of drought—in order to track pump functionality and share the information with local water managers and officials. The evaluation investigated whether this intervention increased borehole functionality in counties served by Kenya RAPID (Garissa, Isiolo, Marsabit, Turkana and Wajir) compared to a set of non-RAPID counties in northern and central Kenya. In parallel, the team conducted a qualitative analysis of water managers’ and water users’ perceptions of the intervention and water management issues more generally.

Kenya RAPID’s theory of change for this activity envisioned that improved functionality of strategic boreholes would result from:

1. Installation of sensors, with data sharing through mobile applications and online dashboards as well as accompanying training on sensor data use
2. Establishment of county operations and maintenance teams
3. A dedicated budget for strategic borehole repairs.