The government of Kenya has pledged USD$11 million for the irrigation of farmland in Nyeri County. The aim is to improve the yield of agricultural land, as well as food security in Nyeri County, which is often affected by drought.
According to Sicily Kariuki, minister of water, sanitation and irrigation, the new funding will help implement irrigation projects in this county of over 759,000 people.
The funds will be divided between several projects. Among them is the Changachicha Irrigation Project which is being implemented by Kenya’s National Irrigation Authority (NIA). According to the government agency, the project covers over 202 hectares of plantation. It includes an intake, a 5,840-metre long pipeline, a 12,340-metre long main pipeline for Karandi-Mucharage-Kariki, a 1,350-metre long main pipeline for Karandi-Kiganjo, similar facilities of 6,260-metre long for Karandi-Ngaru-Kiriti, water distribution networks and an internal system.
The Changachicha project will be completed in 2022. All the facilities will benefit 2,000 people directly and 1,000 indirectly.
“Farmers in Nyeri are expected to generate about 125 million Kenyan shillings ($1.13 million) per year in the Kenyan economy through the irrigation of high value vegetables, potatoes, cabbages, kale, tomatoes, garden peas, spinach, carrots, etc.,” said Joshua N. Toro, NIA head, who added these achievements will contribute to the Big 4 agenda on food security and nutrition in Kenya.