In the bone-dry outskirts of Garissa town, where water scarcity limits farming options, the Dasheg Irrigation Scheme has become a beacon of hope and transformation.
This initiative not only provides yearning for food security but also increased productivity in one of Kenya’s most drought-prone counties.
Siyad Godi, vice chairman of the scheme said climate change has hit the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) so hard it’s vital to diversify from pastoral life and embrace other income-generating activities.
Each member cultivates one hectare ( 2.5 acres), getting food for not only household consumption but also for sale.
“Most of the farmers prefer fast-maturing horticultural crops often in high demand, especially in nearby Garissa town,” Godi said.
Farmer Bilado Yarrow said ASAL areas require development aid due to water problem.
“Availability of water would revolutionise the communities social-economic lives. If farmers have sustainable access to water, we would not need to keep asking for aid,” Yarrow said.
“Women are key decision-makers in family diets. Availability of farm produce contributes to a varied, nutritious diet and thus healthier communities.”
Godi said the scheme started as a modest mango orchard in the 1970s along the Tana River.
Dasheg has evolved into a diverse agricultural hub, nurturing tomatoes, pineapples, lemons, vegetables and fruits.
Dasheg farmers cultivate chilies, beans, coconuts and sweet potatoes, creating a year-round income stream for its 54 members, including 34 women.
This diversity provides stability, especially when arid and semi-arid lands suffer prolonged droughts.
Farmers grow climate-resilient crops, such as coconuts that can withstand high temperatures, offering a steady income when other horticultural yields may be low.
“We are not just focusing on a single crop, we are diversifying and keenly observing those crops that thrive so we can grow more and capitalise on them,” Godi said.
As members of the Garissa Farmers Network, Dasheg’s farmers have access to a platform for market insights, peer learning and information exchange to enhance their knowledge and skills.
Despite its success, Dasheg has encountered significant challenges.
Until recently, the scheme relied on diesel-powered pumps for irrigation – a costly and environmentally damaging solution.
The region’s high temperatures also cause rapid evaporation from open canals, compounding problems of high fuel costs and water scarcity.
Flooding from erratic rains disrupts irrigation and rising waters regularly damage pumps and sweep away equipment.
Recognising these challenges, USAID’s Livestock Market Systems (LMS) project introduced a floating, solar-powered pumping system.
This adaptive pumping adjusts to changing water levels, ensuring a more stable and efficient water supply and protects equipment from flood damage.
The project also installed 400 metres of water piping, streamlining water delivery and reducing evaporation.
The World Food Programme has provided seeds, seedlings and hands-on training in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), promoting sustainable crop management.
WFP also introduced versatile sweet potato vines, providing both nutrition from the potatoes and livestock feed from the vines and leaves, further stabilising pastoralists’ incomes.
WFP assisted in clearing land overgrown by the mathenge tree.
This resilient plant disrupts ecosystems but once cleared, allows for better crop cultivation and opens up more fertile ground.
USAID’s project known as STAWI (Sustainable Transformational and Accessible Water Interventions) will extend water piping by an additional 2.7 kilometres, reaching more sections of the scheme.
This extension will reduce water
loss by replacing open canals, thus
reducing irrigation costs.
