The Government is set to expand Mengit Dam in Kuresoi North, Nakuru County, in a major irrigation project expected to benefit about 1,000 households.
The dam’s storage capacity will be increased from the current 150,000 cubic metres to about 400,000 cubic metres, providing farmers with more reliable water for agricultural production.
The expanded facility will support irrigation across approximately 600 acres through a new water reticulation system.
The project is expected to help farmers reduce their reliance on increasingly unpredictable rainfall while allowing them to engage in the production of high-value crops and integrated crop and livestock farming.
Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei inspected the dam on Monday, September 28, as preparations continued for the second edition of the Mau Forest Complex Integrated Conservation and Livelihood Improvement Programme.
Koskei was hosted by Irrigation Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho during the inspection of the facility in Nyota Ward.
He commended the State Department for Irrigation for working to rehabilitate and redesign existing dams to meet the country’s changing agricultural and water needs.
Koskei said projects such as the Mengit Dam rehabilitation would help unlock the agricultural potential of the area by providing farmers with a reliable water supply, particularly during drought periods.
The project will also include drip-irrigated kitchen gardens in schools and surrounding communities to support food production and promote efficient use of water.
PS Kimotho said the expanded dam and irrigation network would create new employment and income opportunities for residents through farming and related activities.
These include agricultural input supply, farm services, produce handling, marketing and other businesses expected to benefit from increased agricultural activity.
The project is also being implemented within the broader Mau Forest Complex conservation programme, linking agricultural development with protection of the region’s critical water catchment.
The Government says improved livelihoods around the Mau Forest will help strengthen community resilience while complementing efforts to conserve the ecosystem.
The increased water storage is expected to provide farmers with a buffer during dry periods while supporting food and nutrition security in the area.
The project forms part of the Government’s broader efforts to increase agricultural productivity, address the effects of drought and create economic opportunities at the grassroots under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
Also present during the inspection were Parliamentary Affairs PS Aurelia Rono, Secretary for Administration Yatich Kipkemei, Irrigation Secretary Joel Tanui, Kuresoi North MP Mutai Kiprono Alfred and Nakuru Woman Representative Liza Chelule.
The Government is expected to use the expanded Mengit Dam to demonstrate how water infrastructure can support irrigation, improve household incomes and strengthen conservation efforts around the Mau Forest Complex.