Kenya Launches National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan to Strengthen Food Security and Economic Growth:

    Ephantus Kimotho Kimani, Principal            Secretary (PS) State Department for                    Irrigation.

       Nairobi, Kenya, March 20, 2025

Kenya today took a major step toward transforming its agricultural sector with the official launch of the National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (NISIP). This ambitious initiative aims to increase food production, reduce reliance on imports, and enhance farmers' resilience through greater investment in irrigation infrastructure. The event brought together key stakeholders, including government officials, farmers, development partners, financial institutions, researchers, and private sector players, to discuss pathways for scaling up irrigation across the country.

Speaking at the launch, Ephantus Kimotho Kimani, Principal Secretary (PS) for the State Department for Irrigation, emphasized the urgent need for action in expanding irrigation. He highlighted that while agriculture remains one of Kenya’s most crucial economic sectors, directly contributing 20% to the national GDP, the country still struggles with low productivity due to unreliable rainfall and inadequate irrigation systems. Despite Kenya’s vast agricultural potential, only 5% of the arable land is currently under irrigation, making food security a persistent challenge.

PS Kimani noted that Kenya’s agricultural landscape is predominantly arid and semi-arid (80-89%), requiring strategic interventions to provide water for irrigation. He stressed that the country must prioritize large-scale and smallholder irrigation projects to ensure consistent food production, mitigate climate-related risks, and boost farmers' incomes.

“If we are serious about achieving food security and reducing our dependence on imports, we must invest in irrigation as a priority. More land under irrigation means increased food production, greater resilience for our farmers, and a stronger economy,” Kimani said.

During his presentation, Eng. Vincent Kabuti shed light on Kenya’s staggering food import bill, revealing that the country spends over KSh 500 billion annually on agricultural imports. He noted that a large portion of these imported products, including cereals, fruits, and vegetables, could be grown locally if irrigation was widely adopted. Kabuti emphasized that improving irrigation infrastructure is not just about food production; it is a strategic economic investment that could reduce the import burden, stabilize local food prices, and create more employment opportunities in agriculture.

“Our reliance on food imports is unsustainable. We have the potential to grow what we import, but our farmers lack access to reliable irrigation. If we change this, Kenya can become food secure and even an exporter of agricultural produce,” he stated.

Kabuti also highlighted that climate change has made rain-fed agriculture increasingly unreliable, pushing smallholder farmers into cycles of crop failure and food insecurity. He urged both the government and private sector investors to prioritize irrigation expansion as a long-term solution to these challenges.

PS Kimani reiterated the government’s commitment to accelerating irrigation development through policy support, funding, and partnerships. He called on farmers to embrace irrigation technologies and urged financial institutions to develop more accessible financing options for irrigation investments.

With the unveiling of NISIP, Kenya is now on a path to transforming its agricultural sector through expanded irrigation, promising a future of increased food security, reduced reliance on imports, and enhanced economic growth for millions of farmers across the country.