INECO
Inequities and Conflicts in arid and semi-arid zones linked to groundwater management in Kenya.
We study inequities and conflicts related to groundwater resources and explore known and new aquifers in the quest for additional water resources in Laikipia County, Kenya. The results may help to ensure proper and equitable water management and allocation, promoting cooperation and reducing conflict among communities in arid and semi-arid regions.
About the project
Integrating geoscience and anthropology is an innovative approach to address groundwater management. Accurate mapping of existing and discovery of new aquifer systems and their recharge mechanisms in the study area combined with novel knowledge about gender, social, cultural and economic aspects of groundwater use will provide the scientific base to develop
- (a) inclusive, legitimate and culturally appropriate actions,
- (b) policies aimed to secure an equitable and sustainable groundwater management and
- (c) strategies to protect vulnerable and marginalized groups (e.g. women in rural areas), and reduce water-related inequities and conflicts.
The method can later be applied to other areas and/or countries as well. The project will boost Denmark’s efforts in developing and strengthening research and expert capacity in Kenya and in promoting sustainable groundwater management in the context of climate change actions.
Describe the key research questions, focus areas or themes. Bullet points are recommended.
- The main question is: What is the impact of climate change on aquifer systems and on inequities and conflicts related to groundwater management?
- How climate change affects water supply in the semi-arid Laikipia County? Sustainable use of known and discovery of new groundwater resources is a natural way to increase water supply, but very little is known about the extent and the capacity of the aquifer systems in the region.
- How easy is to access groundwater resources? Aquifers being underground, ownership, exploration and drilling permissions, access to specialized data and expertise, abstraction rights and supply management are highly controversial issues
- Elucidate inequities and conflicts related to groundwater: Water-related inequities and conflicts are common, but those related to groundwater management in the semi-arid Northern Kenya are virtually unknown
- What are the gender, social, cultural and economic aspects of groundwater use?
- How to increase awareness of sustainable and inclusive groundwater management and promote it as a tool reduce inequities and conflicts?
University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark - Lead Institution
Aarhus University (AU), Denmark
Maseno University (MU), Kenya
Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT), Kenya
NIRAS A/S, Denmark
Kenya’s Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation (KMoWSI)
- a Danida workshop-seminar on Climate Justice in Arusha, Tanzania, 19-20 October 2026, where the PhD students of the project will participate
- a SC meeting Mid November 2026
- Workshops with local communities in Laikipia – end November- early December 2026
- "Water Resilience & Innovation," 7th IAHR Africa Congress 2026 (iahr-af2026.com), 8-11 December, Kigali, Rwanda
Researchers
University of Copenhagen (UCPH)
| Name | Title | Phone | |
| Klaus Mosegaard | Professor | +4521664566 | |
| Ivanka M Orozova Bekkevold | Associate Professor | +4535324213 | |
| Hanne Overgaard Mogensen | Professor | +4535323454 | |
| Quentin Gausset | Associate Professor | +4535323473 |
Aarhus University
| Name | Title | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Hansen | Associate professor | Dept. og Geosciences |
Maseno University, Kenya - Dept. of Sociology & Anthropology
| Name | Title | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Erick Nyambedha | Professor | ||
| Stephen Okumu | Associate professor | ||
| Agnetta Nyabundi | Researcher |
Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Kenya
| Name | Title | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Kariuki | Associate professor | ||
| Nicholas Mariita | professor | ||
| Esther Momanyi | Researcher & PhD student | ||
| Anne Sang | Researcher | ||
| Sophy Kipkwony | Researcher |
Funded by:
Inequities and conflicts in arid and semi-arid zones linked to groundwater management in Kenya (INECO). The research is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and managed by Danida Fellowship Centre (DFC).
Project: Inequities and conflicts in arid and semi-arid zones linked to groundwater management in Kenya (Project Number: DFC File Nr. 25-M05-KU)
Period: April 1st, 2025 to March 31st, 2029.
Principal Investigator
Prof. Klaus Mosegaard
Niels Bohr Institute
University of Copenhagen
Denmark
Contact
Ivanka Bekkevold
associate professor
Niels Bohr Institute
University of Copenhagen
Denmark
ivanka.bekkevold@nbi.ku.dk