Kenya is turning to data and digital technology to guide the expansion of irrigation as the country faces growing pressure on its water resources.
Secretary for Land Reclamation, Climate Resilience and Irrigation Water Management Joel Tanui said irrigation and water storage projects must be based on accurate information on where water is available and how much is needed.
Tanui spoke in Stockholm, Sweden, during a side event at World Water Week 2026, where he highlighted the Water Availability and Demand (WAD) Tool and its role in improving irrigation planning.
“As Kenya seeks to put more land under irrigation, investment decisions must be informed by accurate, timely and accessible information on where water is available, how much is required and where storage and irrigation investments can deliver the greatest impact,” Tanui said.
The WAD Tool brings together satellite data, water accounting information and spatial analysis to show water availability and demand across the country.
It maps areas with sufficient water, water deficits and potential locations for storage facilities. It also provides information on crop water requirements and different types of cropland, including rainfed and irrigated areas.
The tool was developed through a collaboration involving the National Irrigation Authority (NIA), the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
It was officially handed over to the NIA in January 2026 as part of efforts to shift Kenya towards data-driven water governance.
The technology could help the government determine where new irrigation schemes and water storage projects are most viable before committing public funds.
This is particularly important as Kenya seeks to put more land under irrigation to boost food production and reduce farmers’ dependence on increasingly unpredictable rainfall.
But the expansion also comes with a challenge.
Agriculture is competing for water with households, industries and the environment. Developing irrigation schemes without first establishing whether enough water exists could put additional pressure on already strained water resources.
The WAD Tool is expected to help address that challenge by allowing planners to compare water supply with demand before deciding where to invest.
The platform can also identify potential sites for 1,000 cubic metre storage ponds based on runoff, giving planners another option for improving water availability for farmers.
Tanui’s message in Stockholm therefore placed Kenya’s irrigation plans within a wider push for climate-resilient agriculture and sustainable water management.
World Water Week 2026 is being held in Stockholm from August 23 to 27 under the theme “Water for People and Progress.”
For Kenya, the focus is increasingly shifting from simply putting more land under irrigation to ensuring that every new project is backed by enough water to remain productive.
The government hopes that using data before making investment decisions will reduce poor project planning, improve water allocation and ensure irrigation expansion supports food security without exhausting the country’s water resources.
