The government plans to expand the smallholder irrigation programme to other parts of the country following a successful trial of initial projects in Kirinyaga County that recorded improved productivity in farmers’ incomes.
Speaking during a visit to the Kandeki Irrigation Scheme in Kirinyaga County, Irrigation Principal Secretary (PS), Ephantus Kimotho, said the blended financing model, which combines farmer contributions, government grants, and bank loans, has proven sustainable and is set to be rolled out to other regions, including Western Kenya.
Under the financing arrangement, farmers contribute 10 per cent of the project cost, the government provides a 40 per cent grant, while financial institutions finance the remaining 50 per cent through loans guaranteed by development partners.
The PS noted the uniqueness of the programme lies in the ownership by farmers because they contribute financially and repay the loans; they take responsibility for maintaining the infrastructure, making the projects sustainable
“So, sustainability is key, and this sustainability is maintained by the fact that the farmer is able to pay for the operation and maintenance,” said Kimotho.
The Kandeki Irrigation Scheme comprises about 245 farmers cultivating approximately 225 acres. The farmers have established management structures, including hiring a manager, marketers, and technical staff to oversee operations and maintenance of the project.
Kimotho noted that unlike fully government-funded projects, the mixed financing model encourages farmers to embrace agriculture as a business rather than merely a source of food for household consumption.
He said the State Department for Irrigation is working closely with county governments, financial institutions, and development partners to ensure farmers receive quality inputs, extension services, and access to markets.
He observed the CAIPs as one of the avenues where investors will give farmers a market that enables them to pay operational and maintenance costs and also get additional funds to even employ more farm employees and make maximum use of the land.
“Our focus is not just on providing water but also connecting farmers to reliable markets through aggregators, contract farming, and partnerships with agro-industrial parks,” he said.
According to the PS, the programme has recorded impressive loan repayment rates, with about 95 per cent of participating farmers servicing their loans successfully, some completing repayment in just three years despite repayment periods of up to seven years.
The government has invested approximately Sh1.3 billion in the last five years in irrigation projects in the Mount Kenya region. Plans are also underway to expand the programme in Western Kenya after securing grants worth about Sh3 billion to support irrigation infrastructure and farmer capacity building.
Kimotho said the government, in collaboration with counties, normally conducts public participation and hydrological assessments before introducing the programme to new regions to ensure communities embrace the model and that adequate water resources are available.
“We first of all map the hydrology of the area. After we engage the county government and also the people in the region, just to see whether they’ll be able to accept the model.” He added.
Kimotho said the department for irrigation has had a number of engagements with all the governors in the Western region about the possibility of introducing the program. Some are willing to pay 30, 70, by the farmer, while others pay 80:20. The devolved units play a key role in ensuring farmers are producing the right quality through the provision of the extension officers and the quality seeds.
The expansion forms part of the government’s broader target of placing 2.5 million acres under irrigation. Currently, about 772,000 acres are under irrigation across the country.
The PS said the government intends to achieve the target through a combination of large-scale irrigation projects, including Galana-Kulalu and Bura schemes, as well as medium-sized dams that will support the expansion of community irrigation projects.
He cited the transformation of the Mwea Irrigation Scheme as evidence of irrigation’s economic impact, noting that increased water availability has enabled double-season rice production and significantly boosted the local economy.
“Mwea now contributes nearly half of Kenya’s rice production; currently we are producing 305,000 metric tons, and Mwea is giving us approximately 155 metric tons and has become a major economic hub. We want to replicate such success stories across the country,” Kimotho said.
He said benchmarking visits by farmers from different regions have played a critical role in encouraging adoption of modern irrigation technologies and commercial farming practices.
“And now, on this smallholder, we’re also going to use this as a benchmark. And that works a lot. Farmers get inspired by other farmers.”
The PS also revealed the government is also developing water harvesting projects in semi-arid areas to capture floodwaters for irrigation during dry seasons, further strengthening food security and climate resilience.
“In the semi-arid regions, we’re also putting efforts where we actually don’t have permanent rivers. We are coming up with a programme where we are doing water pants, and these water pants are going to help us in water harvesting. We’re able to utilize that water to do production,” he concluded.
By Mutai Kipng’etich
