This archive report was first published on 10 November 2019.
Published on November 10, 2019, Kirinyaga County is set to benefit from the expansion of the Mwea Irrigation Scheme, which will see the irrigated land increase from 26,000 to 30,000 acres.
Water PS Joseph Irungu announced the expansion plans, stating that the scheme will cover the entire gazetted land of 30,350 acres, with the aim of doubling production and improving food security.
Currently, the scheme incorporates 7,000 rice farmers from Kirinyaga, but the expansion will see individual farms in areas such as Kianugu, Kiamanyeki, Ndekia, and Mutithi registered into the scheme.
However, the expansion plans may be affected by the delays in the construction of the Sh8.2 billion Thiba Dam, which is a major source of water for the scheme. The contractor halted the construction due to non-payment by the National Treasury.
Irungu emphasized the importance of the scheme, stating, “This scheme is so critical in terms of food security that we intend to cover the entire land so as to double the production.”
