Farmers at Lari Wendani Irrigation Scheme in Subukia Sub-county are set to increase the area of land under irrigation following the groundbreaking of a rehabilitation project targeting 100 hectares, up from the current 46 hectares.

The project seeks to address decades of deterioration of the irrigation infrastructure, which has been limiting water access and agricultural production among farmers.

The scheme, established in 1983 under the Small Scale Irrigation Development Project (SSIDP), initially served 94 farm families, with each farmer allocated 0.2 hectares for irrigation. However, following an expansion in 2008 under the Small Holder Agribusiness Development Project, the scheme currently serves 231 farmers across 46 hectares.

Despite the expansion, the irrigation system has continued to experience challenges, with the original uPVC pipes now more than four decades old. Frequent bursts and leakages have disrupted water supply to some farming blocks, while inefficient intake structures allow silt into the pipelines, further affecting water distribution.

Consequently, farmers have continued relying on traditional irrigation methods, including furrows and hosepipes, with the scheme operating at an estimated irrigation efficiency of 40 per cent.

During a groundbreaking ceremony Governor Susan Kihika, Kihika noted that the rehabilitation would address the infrastructure challenges that have constrained agricultural production, while creating room for more farmers to expand their irrigated acreage.

She emphasized that improving water access remains critical to strengthening food production, increasing household incomes and building resilience among farming communities.

The rehabilitation which is implemented under the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP) will involve upgrading two existing water intakes through the installation of sedimentation basins, constructing an additional intake and replacing the dilapidated conveyance, mainline, sub-main and distribution pipelines with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes.

In addition, the project will cover 27,229 metres of pipeline infrastructure and provide 250 plot hydrants to improve water delivery to individual farms.

Once completed, the scheme is expected to support 250 farmers cultivating 100 hectares, with each farmer able to irrigate up to 0.4 hectares, doubling the current allocation.

However, farmers will be required to meet the cost of field hydrants and in-field infrastructure, including sprinkler laterals and their associated fittings.

The rehabilitation is expected to improve irrigation efficiency, reduce water losses and minimize conflicts arising from unreliable water distribution, while enabling farmers to increase production and diversify their crops.a

Lari Wendani irrigation scheme to expand to 100 hectares through rehabilitation project

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Muthoni Wanjiku