President William Ruto on Monday commissioned the Ziwa 2 Earth Dam Irrigation Project in Soy Constituency, Uasin Gishu County, in a move expected to bring 500 acres of farmland under irrigation.
The project, located in Sirikwa Location, is expected to benefit 1,000 farmers by giving them access to water for farming beyond the rainy seasons.
The rehabilitation works began in June 2025 and are now substantially complete. The remaining work includes connecting farmers who are yet to be served and fencing the dam, which is expected to be completed by the end of November 2026.
The project involved removing silt from the dam and rebuilding its embankment, raising its water storage capacity to one million cubic metres.
Two solar-powered pumping systems have also been installed to supply water for irrigation.
Under the project, farmers will grow maize and beans alongside horticultural crops such as spinach, kale, tomatoes, onions and passion fruit. Coffee is also among the crops identified for cultivation.
The project provides for two planting seasons each year, with each household projected to earn an average of KSh200,000 per acre annually.
The government expects the shift from rain-fed farming to irrigation to help farmers manage the effects of changing weather patterns while improving food production and household incomes.
Beyond the 1,000 people expected to benefit directly, another 5,000 are projected to gain indirectly through jobs and other economic activities linked to farming.
The State Department for Irrigation, working through the National Irrigation Authority, will also support farmers in managing the project and making better use of the water infrastructure.
The support will include training farmers on running agriculture as a business, helping establish and strengthen an Irrigation Water Users Association, and connecting farmers to markets for their produce.
A second phase is planned to extend irrigation to another 2,000 acres and serve an additional 4,000 households.
The project forms part of the government’s efforts to expand irrigation and reduce farmers’ dependence on rainfall.
Ruto was accompanied during the commissioning by Principal Secretary for Irrigation Ephantus Kimotho, National Irrigation Authority Chief Executive Officer Mutinda Muti and other national and county government officials.
