Gov’t moves to construct six dams as two million acres put under irrigation

The government is seeking to construct six dams with two million acres already set aside for irrigation, as part of a broader strategy to boost food security, cushion farmers from the effects of climate change and unlock the economic potential of arid and semi-arid lands.

State Department for Irrigation Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho says the plan, anchored under the national sector investment plan, targets the expansion of irrigation to at least two million acres countrywide, with a major focus on climate resilience.

“Whenever rains fail, it affects the farmers greatly and those are some of the effects of climate change. Irrigation comes in as a mitigating factor of fighting climate change effects, whereby whenever there is rain, we store water and when there is drought, we use that water to do irrigation,” Kimotho said.

While reiterating that the government expects farmers to increasingly benefit from the programme this year, the PS assured, “This is a year that we will actually see more farmers reaping the benefits of irrigation.”

Backing the plan, Head of Irrigation Secretary Infrastructure Eng Vincent Kabuti said construction of at least six large-scale dams is expected to begin in 2026, a move he says will open the door to commercial agriculture.

“We are confident that in 2026 we are going to start construction of at least six game-changing dams because then it means we will go into large-scale commercial agriculture, which will go a long way in meeting our food security needs as a country, create jobs, employment and change people’s lives,” Kabuti said.

The proposed dams will largely target arid and semi-arid regions, which Irrigation Secretary of Programmes Michael Thuita say hold immense but underutilised irrigation potential.

He underscored that President William Ruto’s administration is prioritising large dams in ASAL regions to expand the area under irrigation.

“We are geared towards increasing the area under irrigation by promoting large dams in ASAL areas i.e Mandera or North Eastern, Baringo, Turkana and the famous Galana,” Thuita said.

Irrigation Secretary for Land Reclamation, Climate Resilience and Irrigation Water Management Joel Tanui further pointed out that the focus on ASAL regions is deliberate, given their dominance in the country’s land mass.

“Under the land reclamation programme, we are aware that 80 to 89 per cent of the country falls under the arid and semi-arid areas, and so this is an area we will give a lot of focus because it holds the potential for irrigation development in this country,” Tanui said.

The Ministry is optimistic that the irrigation drive will not only stabilise food production but also create jobs and improve livelihoods in some of the country’s most vulnerable regions.