DP Kindiki launches Nyeri irrigation project targeting 1,668 households

Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki has launched a new irrigation project in Othaya, Nyeri County, expected to provide water for farming on 834 acres of land and benefit 1,668 households.

The Karima Kabutu Irrigation Project is expected to enable farmers to grow crops throughout the year, reducing their reliance on rainfall as the government steps up efforts to improve food security and cushion farmers against climate change.

The project will support the production of horticultural and food crops, including cabbages, tomatoes, peas and potatoes, as well as fruit trees.

Speaking during the launch, Kindiki reiterated the government’s commitment to accelerating the completion of irrigation projects across the country to boost agricultural production and improve rural livelihoods.

The project will involve the construction of water intake works, sedimentation tanks and conveyance pipelines, alongside a network of distribution systems serving Iriaini and Witima.

It will also include in-field irrigation infrastructure and supporting structures to facilitate water distribution across the project area.

According to the project’s financial projections, the scheme is expected to generate gross annual income of approximately Ksh.627 million, with an estimated payback period of two years.

Individual farmers are projected to earn an average gross annual income of about Ksh.750,000 per acre, although actual earnings will depend on production costs, yields and market prices.

Beyond crop production, the project is also expected to provide water for domestic use, create employment opportunities and support the growth of agribusiness in the area.

The irrigation scheme forms part of the government’s wider efforts to expand irrigated agriculture under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), with a focus on food security, job creation and improved household incomes.

The government is banking on irrigation infrastructure to help farmers shift from rain-fed agriculture to more reliable production systems, particularly as changing weather patterns continue to affect agricultural activities.