In the semi-arid plains of Buuri East subcounty, Meru County, farming was once a gamble, and for years, residents like Lucy Makena Kimathi struggled to raise crops from the dry earth, their efforts often being thwarted by erratic rains and the unforgiving climate.
As she narrates to KNA, residents were earlier doing minimal farming due to a lack of enough rain, but when the National Irrigation Authority (NIA) ventured in the area, everything changed for the better.
The Kiirua-Buuri water project, launched under the stewardship of the NIA, has become a beacon of hope for farmers in the region.
Phase one of the project introduced irrigation to areas long neglected, allowing farmers to move beyond subsistence to commercial agriculture. “We have seen changes in our lifestyles, especially those connected to phase one of the project,” said Ms Makena, adding that the government should now move a step further to launch and implement the second phase so that more farmers can be covered.
Another resident, Elijah Kiara, an onion and potato farmer from Nkando village, echoes Makena’s sentiments, adding that when the project started in the area, it brought money into their pockets and they use it to empower themselves.
As an operations officer in the project, Kiara has witnessed the transformation firsthand. “Earlier we were doing small-scale, but we have now expanded courtesy of the National Irrigation Authority,” said Mr. Kiara.
The project currently covers three wards—Kiirua/Naari, Kibirichia, and Ruiri Rwarera, bringing water to thousands of residents.
Mr. Zakayo Muthamia, a member of the Kiirua-Buuri irrigation project, notes that the project has attracted many members, and they appreciate NIA for phase one.
The impact is tangible with farmers now cultivating potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, garden peas, and green maize, with projected gross margins of about Sh285,000 per acre annually. The region’s land was previously barren.
During a recent visit to the area, Water and Sanitation Cabinet Secretary Eric Mugaa announced the release of Sh100 million to expand the Kiirua-Buuri project. The funding, part of a broader Sh500 million plan, will extend irrigation to more than 3,000 residents across local villages.
“My work is to ensure that even as I serve the rest of the country, the people of Meru also benefit,” Mugaa said, emphasizing water access as a driver of economic transformation.
Buuri MP Mugambi Rindikiri added that the project is expected to reduce poverty through increased agricultural productivity and improved household incomes.
President William Ruto had earlier pledged a second phase of the project, a promise eagerly awaited by farmers.
For farmers like Lucy and Elijah, the expansion means more than just water. It represents independence, dignity, and the ability to thrive without constant appeals for government aid.
The government’s supplementary budget also allocated Sh300 million for the Meru town sewerage project and revived several stalled water projects, including the Kamburu water project in Tigania West.
By Dickson Mwiti
