Measures to protect watersheds and riparian resources

Motion text

THAT, aware that the country cannot solely depend on rain-fed agriculture to attain food security; acknowledging the importance of irrigation-based agriculture in improving food security status; recognizing that our rivers and lakes are the main sources of water for large-scale irrigation; appreciating the efforts by the National Government to put more land in counties within arid and semi-arid areas under crop production; concerned that continued encroachment through human settlement along the riparian areas leads to pollution of the water bodies and systematic destruction of vegetation cover thereby threatening the existence of the water bodies and hampering sustainable irrigation endeavors; the Senate urges the National Government to put in place effective measures to protect watersheds and other riparian resources and sensitize riparian communities on the need to protect watersheds and riparian resources.