Residents of the Githuuri area in Kiharu constituency, a semi-arid zone in Murang’a County, have appealed to the government through the National Irrigation Authority to initiate water water projects in the locality to enable them to engage in productive farming.
The residents have said that despite their close proximity to River Sagana, lack of irrigation infrastructure has left vast tracts of their fertile land underutilised, exposing households to food insecurity and poverty.
They are now calling on the national government to reroute and revive the irrigation infrastructure to enable them to fully harness the rich agricultural potential of the area and promote economic empowerment.
They spoke in Githuuri during an event that marked the connection of piped water for domestic use, a development they welcomed as a major relief after years of trekking long distances to fetch water from the Sagana river.
“We are grateful that we now have clean water for household use. This area is very dry, and fetching water from River Sagana was exhausting and unsafe,” said Damaris Wanjiku Mwangi, a resident.
“However, if irrigation water can also be extended here, our lives would completely change. We can grow fruits, vegetables and other horticultural crops and earn a decent livelihood,” she said.
Residents noted that the area previously benefited from an irrigation scheme that significantly transformed livelihoods before the water supply stopped short of Githuuri, ending at the Kimathi area, which is largely known for rice farming.
“When the irrigation scheme was operational, farming was productive and families were self-reliant. Since the water stopped reaching us, we have been forced to depend on unreliable rainfall, which is no longer sufficient due to changing weather patterns,” Wanjiku added.
Reuben Njuiri, another resident, said access to piped domestic water has partially solved a long-standing problem, particularly for women and children.
“We used to draw water directly from the River Sagana, which is not safe. Parents were always worried about children being attacked by animals,” he said.
“Now that we have clean drinking water, that burden has been lifted. What we need next is irrigation water so that we can use our time productively instead of spending hours fetching water,” he said.
Residents said the area’s soils are fertile and suitable for horticulture if water is made available.
“With irrigation, we can grow bananas, tomatoes, vegetables and pawpaws. The land here is highly productive, but without water, it remains idle,” Njuiri noted.
John Mwangi, another resident, said erratic rainfall has made farming increasingly difficult.
“For years we have depended on rain, but the weather is no longer predictable.
Now that we have water for household use, we have time to farm, but without irrigation water, our efforts are limited,” he said.
Area MCA Ruiru Miako acknowledged the long-standing water challenges in Githuuri, noting that the village had gone for years without any form of water connectivity.
“The people here are hard-working. If irrigation water is extended to this area, livelihoods will be transformed,” he said.
“With the changing weather patterns, the land is dry and there will be no meaningful harvest this season.
Irrigation would ensure food for families and surplus produce for sale,” added Miako.
By Florence Kinyua
