The Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest fresh water lake experiences eutrophication related problems like the rapid proliferation of water hyacinth, algal blooms, water quality degradation, and decrease in fish population. This is closely linked to excess nutrient discharge in the lake’s basin which is shared by five countries in Eastern Africa. Recently studies have been contacted to investigate nitrate flows and their potential sources in surface and groundwater on the Kenyan part of the basin [1, 2].

The DRIER project is a collaboration between universities in Kenya, Ethiopia and the United Kingdom. Our aim is to strengthen understanding of the changing regional water balance in the drylands of East Africa, by integrating the hydrological, climatic and social dimensions of this change.

The project is structured into five areas corresponding to the main project objectives: 1. Assessment of soil and land health. 2. Co-developing rangeland restoration and sustainable management options in knowledge-sharing hubs (Livestock cafés). 3. Linking climate variability to human health, nutrition and well-being. 4. Exploring innovative land governance mechanisms and practices. 5. Alternative scenarios for sustainable dryland transformation