Farmers in Kangema, Murang’a County, have a new reason to celebrate after the Ksh400 million Kaihi Irrigation Project became fully operational, unlocking new opportunities for year-round farming and food production.
The state-funded project, implemented through the State Department for Irrigation, has already connected 800 out of 1,600 households to irrigation water, with the remaining farmers set to benefit by December this year. Each farmer will irrigate half an acre, bringing the total irrigated area to 800 acres.
According to officials, the project will transform smallholder farming by shifting from rain-fed dependence to consistent, irrigated agriculture boosting yields, incomes, and local food security.
During an inspection visit by the Contract Administration, Inspection and Implementation Committee (CAIIC), local farmers expressed gratitude to the government for prioritizing rural irrigation. Kaihi Irrigation Water Users Association (IWUA) Chairman Josephat Macharia hailed the project as a “game changer,” noting it will ensure sustainable food production and job creation.
CAIIC Chair Bonventure Achonga, who also serves as Deputy Director for Irrigation Water Management, urged farmers to take ownership of the scheme and maintain the infrastructure for future generations. “We are impressed with the progress. Farmers must ensure this project remains sustainable,” he said.
The project features a modern water intake, pipeline, and distribution network, designed by Resident Engineer Eng. Evance Lusi, who confirmed the system meets national irrigation standards.
The Kaihi scheme forms part of the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), under the Food Security pillar, aimed at expanding irrigated farming across Kenya to cushion farmers from the effects of erratic weather patterns.
