The government has allocated Sh400 million towards the completion of the stalled Mwea Irrigation Scheme water canal project, in a move expected to expand rice production by an additional 10,000 acres in Mutithi, Mwea, Kirinyaga County.
The project, which was launched nearly seven years ago, has faced prolonged delays, sparking concern among farmers who have been forced to struggle with unreliable water supplies for irrigation.
Farmers from the Mutithi section, alongside local leaders, have repeatedly called on the government to fast-track the project, saying its completion would ease water shortages and unlock the agricultural potential of the expansive Mwea Irrigation Scheme.
Speaking during a meeting with farmers, National Irrigation Authority (NIA) Managing Director Eng. Charles Muasya said the Sh400 million allocation would facilitate the completion of critical works and ensure water reaches farmers in the expanded irrigation area.
Muasya said that out of the targeted 10,000 acres, approximately 5,000 acres had already been brought under irrigation, with the remaining 5,000 acres expected to benefit as the project progresses.
He said the authority had engaged farmers to agree on a way forward, adding that water supply to the entire Mutithi extension area was expected by April next year, subject to weather conditions.
“The government has allocated Sh400 million this financial year, and we need an additional Sh500 million in the next financial year to complete the project. With the current allocation, we will be able to ensure that water reaches the farmers,” said Muasya.
He noted that the completion of the project would complement the successful construction of Thiba Dam, which has already been opened and is providing sufficient water to the scheme.
He observed that Kenya consumes more than one million metric tonnes of rice annually, but produces approximately 350,000 metric tonnes, forcing the country to import about 700,000 metric tonnes to meet local demand, hence increased production from Mwea would help bridge the deficit, reduce the country’s import bill and conserve foreign exchange.
Farmers welcomed the government’s commitment, expressing optimism that the latest funding would finally bring an end to years of uncertainty and enable them to cultivate their farms without the constant challenge of searching for irrigation water.
Jeremia Kibico, a farmer from the Mutithi extension area, said the meeting with the NIA managing director had given farmers an opportunity to air their concerns and seek assurances on the project’s completion.
Kibico said farmers had waited for years to benefit from water supplied through Thiba Dam and were hopeful that the commitments made by the authority would be fulfilled.
“We are happy that the NIA CEO has come personally to address us. We have had an opportunity to be heard, and he has assured us that by April next year, the promises concerning the project will have been fulfilled,” he said.
Mwea West Deputy County Commissioner Kennedy Nyamboka said the government was keen to ensure all stakeholders benefited from the project, urging farmers and other partners to resolve their differences and work together.
Nyamboka said increased rice production would have wider economic benefits for the Mwea community, including young people and other groups dependent on agriculture.
by Mutai Kipng’etich
