- PS said 10 projects are ongoing in Embu with a potential to put 3,906 more acres under irrigation.
- Thuci Social Dam will have a water storage is 23 million cubic meters and support 7,000 farmers
Image: HANDOUT
The government has invested Sh3.49 billion on irrigation projects in Embu, State Department for Irrigation PS Ephantus Kimotho has said.
Kimotho noted that five of the projects are complete putting 5,300 acres under irrigation while 10 are ongoing with a potential to put 3,906 more acres under irrigation.
“The anticipated outcome of these irrigation projects is to improve food security, job creation along the agricultural value chain and enhance farmers’ resilience to erratic rainfall patterns occasioned by climate change,” Kimotho told the Star.
President William Ruto on August 7, 2024, launched various irrigation projects in Embu during his tour of the Mt Kenya region.
The attention of the President was specifically drawn to the progress of Thuci Social Dam.
The PS said a private partner is in consultation to submit a Privately Initiated Investment Proposal (PIIP) to develop the dam under the BOT PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model.
A build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract is a model used to finance large projects, typically infrastructure projects developed through public-private partnerships.
Kimotho noted that the height of the dam, 84 meters, will have water storage of 23 million cubic meters and the potential to expand the area under irrigation in Embu by 16,309 acres and support more than 7,000 farmers.
He added that it will also provide power generation at 40MGW per hour.
During the visit, Ruto highlighted the irrigation potential to transform the agricultural landscape in the country.
The President reiterated that the government will continue to invest in irrigation infrastructure to expand agricultural land under irrigation.
The PS noted that the State Department for Irrigation has increased land under irrigation in the last year putting an additional 47,000 acres under irrigation.
“It has also made progress on Public-Private Partnerships on water storage and flood control and also towards food production,” Kimotho added.
He highlighted that the Galana Kulalu Food Security project is also being done through PPP.
Kimotho also outlined that Galana Dam is being developed under PPP.
He said a private investor has concluded technical studies for a dam with a capacity of 350 million m3 with the potential of putting over 200,000 acres under irrigation in Galana Kulalu.
“The project will unlock national deficit on maize value chain by producing 14 million bags of maize reducing deficit by 40 per cent and stabilising unga prices,” he stated.
Last year, the government signed a Project Development Phase for the High Grand Falls dam with a private investor.
The 5600 million cubic metres dam to be constructed in Kitui, Tharaka Nithi and Tana River counties will irrigate 400,000 acres and generate 1,000 megawatts of hydropower.
It will also control floods along Tana River in Garissa and Tana River counties.
Other dams which have progressed under the PPP include Lowaat Dam, Radat Dam, Gogo Dam, and Isiolo Dam.
Kyakivai, Kaiti, Kithinu, Olenkirionito, Karimeno, Naromoru, Mara, Rwabura, Thiririka, Thingithu and Kaben dams are also set to be implemented under the PPP programmes.