Farmers in Othaya, Nyeri County, are expected to benefit from a new irrigation project that will supply water to 834 acres of land and serve 1,668 households.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki launched the construction of the Karima Kabutu Irrigation Project on Wednesday, October 28, with the government expecting the scheme to help farmers grow crops even when rainfall is unreliable.
The project will serve farmers in Iriaini and Witima, allowing them to grow cabbages, tomatoes, peas and potatoes throughout the year. Fruit trees are also among the crops expected to benefit from the water supply.
Once completed, the scheme will include pipelines and distribution systems to deliver water to farms. Other works will include water intake facilities, sedimentation tanks and structures to allow the pipelines to cross rivers and gullies.
The project is also expected to provide water for household uses in the adjacent areas.
In the event of the project’s launch, Kindiki stated that the government had been keen on completing irrigation projects in different regions across the country in order to increase food production and to mitigate the impacts of climate change on farmers.
According to the figures obtained from the project’s financial analysis, the project may generate approximately KSh227 million annually as gross income. Additionally, farmers are also expected to make KSh750,000 in gross income per acre annually.
The investment is expected to pay off in two years according to the figures presented in the financial analysis of the project. Nonetheless, the projected figures will be determined by how the farms operate and income that farmers may earn from their products.
Karima Kabutu project is one of the government’s irrigation projects aimed at expanding irrigation and reduce dependency on rain fed agriculture.
