Ruiru Prison Farm irrigation project targets Ksh.20M coffee revenue

The State Department for Irrigation has said the Ruiru Prison Farm Irrigation Project in Kiambu County is expected to generate more than Ksh.20 million from coffee production while supporting the government’s environmental restoration programme through the production of millions of tree seedlings.

Irrigation Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho Kimani inspected the Ksh.73 million project on Friday, which is being implemented jointly by the State Department for Irrigation and the Kenya Prisons Service.

The flagship pilot project targets the development of 100 acres of coffee across Blocks A, B and C, alongside horticultural production and establishment of a large-scale tree nursery.

According to the State Department, the tree nursery will have the capacity to produce approximately 18 million seedlings annually, with the output estimated to be worth more than Ksh.75 million.

The seedlings are expected to support the government's 15 billion tree growing programme and contribute to environmental conservation and restoration efforts.

More than 20 acres of the prison farm will also be placed under horticultural production, with the produce expected to supply prisons across Nairobi and reduce reliance on external suppliers.

The project is also designed to provide agricultural and agribusiness skills to more than 300 inmates, exposing them to practical farming under irrigation and equipping them with skills they can use after completing their sentences.

PS Kimani said the initiative demonstrates how irrigation infrastructure can be used to support food security, environmental conservation, skills development and economic empowerment simultaneously.

The irrigation system comprises intake desilting works, two boreholes, two hybrid water pumping units, water storage facilities, an in-field irrigation distribution network and sprinkler systems.

The department said intake desilting, drilling of the two boreholes, installation of the hybrid pumping units and establishment of water storage facilities have been completed.

The in-field irrigation distribution network and sprinkler system is 80 per cent complete, with ongoing works focused on installing sprinklers in the two remaining blocks and extending irrigation infrastructure to the Greening Kenya section.

The project is expected to benefit more than 10,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries and is being positioned as a model for expanding irrigation projects through partnerships with other government institutions.

The State Department said the project is being implemented under a KSh.73 million contract, with completion and payment scheduled within less than one year.

The department said the irrigation infrastructure will provide a reliable water supply throughout the year, reducing dependence on rainfall while improving the productive use of agricultural land.

Kimani was hosted during the inspection by Resident Engineer Agnes Agong, Director of Prison Farms Patrick Kariri and other senior government officials.