Kirinyaga Farmers Reap Big As Waiguru Rolls Out Irrigation Projects
Kirinyaga Farmers Reap Big As Waiguru Rolls Out Irrigation Projects
The irrigation projects were initiated to enhance access to water thus enabling thousands of farmers to implement subsistence farming.
Many farmers have recorded an increase in agricultural productivity, thus reducing food insecurity and uplifting the living standards of many families in rural areas.
John Maina, a resident of Kariko village and one of the beneficiaries of this project, said they struggled to access water for their farming activities.
Most of the time, he said they had to walk to rivers with jerry cans to fetch water for their farming activities, an endeavor that he narrates denied him time to attend to other key activities.
“Before the project was initiated, we struggled to grow enough food for our families but now we can irrigate our farms and grow crops such as vegetables whereby we produce enough for our families and sell the surplus to the market thus creating employment for ourselves,” said Maina.
Peter Muthii, the Chairman of the Kiamuka Irrigation Water project, said that the availability of water has greatly benefitted farmers.
According to him, they can now cultivate even during the dry seasons unlike before when they only relied on rainfall for farming.
He said that despite being a dry season, he was expecting to harvest about five crates of tomatoes from his small piece of land.
With the proceeds from his farm, he is able to feed and educate his three children and create a job for himself.
“The County Government has been assisting us with water distribution pipes, micro tunneling as well as training on proper use and maintenance of irrigation systems. Many farms in this area are evergreen since farmers don’t have to wait for the rains to grow their crop,” said the Chairman.
His neighbour Bernard Ngirigacha is growing cabbage in his small farm where he estimates that he will pocket at least Sh50,000.
Lucy Nyakio Karimi who is a young farmer from Kiriguini village is also reaping from the Kiamuka water project.
On her farm, she grows cabbage, kale, capsicum, and spring onions which she uses to feed her family, and sells the surplus to cater to other household requirements.
She has also employed several people to tend to her farm thus creating employment opportunities.
Nyakio’s story is similar to that of Roselyn Muriithi, a retired government officer who is now a small-scale farmer.
With irrigation water, she no longer has to go to the market to buy vegetables since she gets them from her farm.
She is intercropping coffee, assorted vegetables as well as livestock farming.
Most of the farmers use sprinkler irrigation methods while a few of them have installed drip irrigation systems.
The County Executive Committee Member for Water and Irrigation, James Kinyua Mutugi, said that Kiamuka is one of the impacts of a well-coordinated plan by Governor Waiguru to ensure that Kirinyaga people benefitted from the county government through such strategic partnerships.
Kirinyaga Farmers Reap Big As Waiguru Rolls Out Irrigation Projects
