Nakuru:Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika has inaugurated the Sh58.5 million Lari Wendani Irrigation Scheme in Waseges Ward, Subukia Sub-County. This initiative aims to enhance irrigated agriculture and boost food production in Nakuru County.
According to Kenya News Agency, the project will expand irrigation coverage from 100 to 250 acres, benefiting 250 households by providing each farmer with about one acre of irrigated land. The investment is designed to reduce farmers’ dependence on rain-fed agriculture, which can result in crop losses during periods of unreliable rainfall.
The rehabilitation work includes the installation of 27,229 meters of conveyance, mainline, and distribution pipelines, along with 250 plot hydrants to improve water delivery to individual farms. The project is a joint effort between the National Government and the World Bank under the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP).
Governor Kihika emphasized her administration’s dedication to bolstering agricultural production and positioning Nakuru as a leading food-producing county. She also discussed investments in infrastructure, trade, markets, agriculture, health, and water countywide, and pledged to advocate for the tarmacking of the Shimoni-Mwangaza-Mbogoini Road to enhance transport connectivity and economic activities in the area.
The Lari Wendani Irrigation Scheme, established in 1983 and revitalized in 2008, had faced significant infrastructure challenges, with its deteriorating pipeline network limiting irrigation capacity to around 40 percent. The current rehabilitation aims to address these issues by upgrading the distribution infrastructure and extending irrigation services to additional farms.
This expansion is expected to promote consistent agricultural production, enable farmers to better plan planting seasons, and decrease reliance on unpredictable rainfall. The initiative aligns with Kenya’s broader efforts to expand irrigation as a strategy to cope with climate variability and enhance agricultural productivity.
The National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan 2025-2035 aims to extend irrigated agriculture to 1.5 million acres by 2030, acknowledging irrigation’s role in improving food security and reducing reliance on rain-fed farming. Kenya’s irrigation potential is estimated at 3.5 million acres, though only a portion has been developed, underscoring the need for investment in water infrastructure.
NAVCDP, supported by World Bank financing, aims to enhance smallholder farmers’ productivity, market access, and resilience through investments in agricultural value chains, climate-smart practices, and essential services. The rehabilitation is expected to increase the productive capacity of households in Waseges, although sustaining these benefits will require proper maintenance, equitable water distribution, and effective scheme management.
Farmers will also need access to agricultural extension services, suitable inputs, and reliable markets to fully realize the benefits of expanded irrigation coverage, leading to higher production and improved household incomes.
