By Isaiah Lucheli
Lives of people living in Arid and Semi Arid Lands (ASAL) ravaged by drought and hunger is set to change, thanks to the launch of an innovative and cost-effective irrigation technology.
The new shower irrigation technology by the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI) is expected to revolutionise farming in ASAL areas.
"The use of obsolete and outdated irrigation methods and technology has been a major setback in efforts by the country to increase the size of the land under irrigation and boost crop production," explained KIRDI Managing director Charles Moturi.
Dr Moturi noted that out of the 540,000 hectares of the country’s irrigable land, only 100,000 hectares has been under food production in the past 50 years.
"Land under irrigation represents a paltry 20 per cent. This is a very low rate of expansion of irrigated agricultural lands, as the country continues to suffer from hunger and famine," he said.
Moturi was speaking during the launch of the technology at the institutes end of year luncheon presided over by the Industrialisation PS Karanja Kibicho.
An entrepreneur, Isaac Munyiri incubated at KIRDI, in collaboration with officers in the Engineering Development and Service Centre unveiled the new technology.
The Shower Irrigation Technology, Moturi explained, is water use efficient and would go a long way in boosting food production in coming years.
"The technology is targeted for the ASAL regions, where ravaging drought has hampered meaningful agriculture," said Moturi.
The Shower Irrigation Technology is comprised of a small portable 5 HP water pump, a polyvinyl flexible hose reel of 100m and two irrigation trolley vehicles.
The first trolley vehicle transports water on the 100 meters flexible hose reel and then feeds the water to the second trolley vehicle.
The second vehicle acts as the mobile shower irrigator/water spreader for horticultural crops and other food crops such as maize and sugarcane.
