Kenya yet to fully tap irrigation potential, says CS Eugene Wamalwa

NAIVASHA, KENYA: Kenya's irrigation potential is estimated to be 1.34 Million hectares but only a meager 180,503 hectares have been exploited.
According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Water and irrigation, the figures translate to 13.5 percent of total land mass under irrigation.
Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa says if fully exploited, irrigation would fast track agricultural development and economic growth in the country.
Wamalwa admitted that the development of irrigation was expensive and took more time to implement noting that infrastructure per hectare costs Sh650, 000.
"Despite the high cost, the production levels of most of our irrigation schemes are poor and therefore we need to endeavor to expand areas under irrigation and find ways to improve performance through proper management," he said
The CS emphasized the need for finalisation of the irrigation policy, the completion of the corresponding irrigation law and implementation of the agreed institutional set-up.
"We also need to establish mechanisms for resource mobilisation, investments and financing the subsector while harmonising roles and functions in the development, operation and management of irrigation," he said.
Wamalwa was speaking at the end of a three-day workshop for Water State Corporations at Simba Lodge in Naivasha.
He termed irrigation as key to achieving the constitutional obligation of fulfilling the right of the citizens to be free from hunger and to have adequate food of acceptable quality.