Kenya must exploit irrigation potential

By Joe Kiarie

Kenya is exploiting only ten per cent of its irrigable land potential despite perennial food insecurity.

And if the country is to become the new Israel by adopting modern irrigation technologies, the Government needs Sh650 billion to put 1.3 million hectares of land with agricultural output potential under irrigation.

This amount will essentially cater for irrigation infrastructure, including the construction of canals and water storage facilities, meaning that extra funds amounting to billions of shillings would still be required to facilitate agricultural activities.

In justifying the amount, a report by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation shows that each of the 1.3 million hectares would require Sh500,000 for water infrastructure.

Of the total land irrigable land, it notes that 600,000 hectares can be irrigated using existing water bodies, while the remaining 700,000 hectares would require artificial water storage facilities.

The report further indicates that about Sh84 billion will be required to develop irrigation schemes measuring 2,000 acres in each constituency in arid and semi-arid areas as recently proposed by Marakwet East MP Boaz Kaino and approved by Parliament.

During the current fiscal year, the Treasury allocated a paltry Sh8.5 billion for direct transfer to the National Irrigation Board for various irrigation projects countrywide under the Expanded Irrigation Programme. An additional Sh1.8 billion was given under the economic stimulus programme while Sh750 million was allocated to facilitate expansion of smallholder irrigation schemes.

The report prepared by David Kiboi, the Chief Economist at the Ministry of Water, indicates that the Sh8.5 billion is being used under the national expanded irrigation projects to develop 59,000 acres in 40 constituencies under irrigation with an expected output of 1.2 million bags of maize valued at Sh3 billion. The funds will also be used to prepare designs for development of an additional 80,000 acres countrywide by the end of the current financial year. In a breakdown, Sh5billion will be spent on large-scale projects covering 42.5 acres, Sh3.1 billion will be spent on rehabilitation of smallholder projects, while Sh307 million will be spent on the feasibility study and detailed designs.

Under the programme, irrigation projects are set to be started in high potential areas of Kitui, Mwingi, Kibwezi, Tana River, Turkana South, Nyando and Yatta.

Feasibility studies

Among the highlights of the undertaking is the planned rehabilitation and expansion of 12 irrigation schemes in Turkana County at a cost of Sh1.9 billion.

According to the document, Turkana County, which is being used as a pilot project, has irrigable potential of 72, 000 hectares. About 15,000 hectares have irrigation potential while 57, 000 hectares can be exploited via dry land farming. Currently only about 5,000 hectares of land is under irrigation, while dry land farming using rain water harvesting accounts for less than 7,000 hectares.

Of the 12 planned schemes, the 2,000 acre Katilu scheme in Turkana South will be the only large-scale project and is set to be implemented at a cost of Sh200 million.

The smallholder projects include Nadoto, Kabulokor, Nadapal, Kolyoro, Loborot, Kalemunyang, Nakamane, Morulem, Naoros Napak and Turkwel.

Kiboi says it would take public-private partnership to raise the amount required to exploit the country’s irrigation potential.

"Donor funding will present the best solution given that if the country is to go with the Sh11 billion the Government is offering today, it would take at least 60 years to accomplish this mission," he explains.

He notes that as a pilot project, the Turkana project has a massive potential and, as he puts it, it requires just two years of maximum irrigation to totally tackle famine in the area.

Kiboi states that successful implementation of irrigation programmes nationally requires increased budgetary allocations. The funding, he states, would be spent on the expansion of irrigated land, efficiency improvements in the irrigation systems, capacity building as well catering for water storage all year round.

But Andrea Morara, the chief consultant at Capacity Development Africa, says the Government must first certify that these projects are viable to avoid wastage of resources.

"There should be feasibility studies to show potential in terms of the expected output as compared to the financial input," he states.

Morara says that once this is done, the Government should consider leasing most of the irrigable land tax-free for periods of between five and ten years as a way to ease the expenditure burden.