UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI’S, LARMAT PARTICIPATION AT HOMA BAY INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT CONFERENCE 2024

Homa Bay Blueprint participants, from left - Clara Onyango, Dora Akeyo from GPFD, Lizzel Makokha, Research Fellow (and Master student at UoN) and Dina Kodhier, Intern.

Lizzel Wanyama Makokha, a Master's student pursuing Master of Science in Land and Water Management at the Department of Land Resources Management and Agricultural Technology (LARMAT), University of Nairobi, took centre stage representing the Homa Bay Blueprint at the just-concluded Homa Bay International Investment Conference 2024 (HoBIIC2024). The Homa Bay Blueprint is an initiative aimed at revolutionizing water sanitation in Homa Bay County along the shores of Lake Victoria, and is a collaboration among Global Partners for Development (GPFD), 374Water company, the County Government of Homa Bay, the University of Nairobi, and the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation and the Homa Bay Water and Sanitation Company (HOMAWASCO).

The conference, attended by regional and international investors keen on exploring opportunities in the blue economy, agriculture, water resource sector, and other potential areas, highlighted the urgent need for sustainable solutions especially in water sanitation. The partnership with GPFD and 374Water underscores a commitment to addressing the critical issue of water sanitation in the Lake Victoria Basin region.

A key focus of the partnership is the introduction of 374Water's AirSCWO technology that aims to transform organic waste, particularly faecal sludge and other solid wastes in wastewater, into clean water and minerals which will be used as fertilizer for agricultural use, contributing to sustainable farming practices. Furthermore, the system generates heat, which will be harnessed to dry seeds and fish, benefiting local businesses