The Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries chaired by Sen. Wafula Wakoli (Bungoma) today held a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation during its ongoing retreat in Mombasa County to deliberate on irrigation development and its role in supporting agricultural productivity across the country.
The engagement focused on the status of irrigation infrastructure and expansion, irrigation support for the current planting season, smallholder irrigation programmes and the framework for collaboration between the National Government and County Governments in the development of irrigation systems.
During the meeting, the Cabinet Secretary briefed the Committee on the implementation status of irrigation targets under the Medium Term Plan IV (MTP IV), including progress made towards expanding the country’s irrigation coverage.
Members were informed that the current area under irrigation stands at approximately 762,767 acres, against the MTP IV target of expanding irrigated land to about 1.29 million acres by the Financial Year 2027/2028.
The Committee emphasized the importance of evidence-based oversight and requested the Ministry to provide segregated data on irrigation investments and infrastructure per county to enable Members to effectively track progress and ensure equitable distribution of irrigation projects across the country.
Members further underscored the need for a strong collaborative framework between the National Government and County Governments in order to strengthen irrigation development and improve agricultural productivity.
The Committee noted that agriculture is a devolved function and that the success of irrigation programmes will depend on the active participation of county governments, particularly in mobilizing farmers, supporting agricultural value chains and ensuring efficient utilization of irrigation infrastructure.
The Committee also stressed the urgent need to expand irrigation infrastructure across the country, observing that the sector has experienced persistent funding deficits over the years which have slowed the development and completion of irrigation projects.
Members further noted that the recent enactment of the National Infrastructure Fund presents an opportunity to mobilize additional resources for large-scale infrastructure development, including irrigation projects. The Committee urged the Ministry to develop a clear framework to ensure that investments through the Fund support irrigation expansion and deliver tangible benefits to counties and farmers.
The Committee reiterated its commitment to strengthening parliamentary oversight and supporting policies aimed at enhancing irrigation development, improving agricultural productivity and advancing national food security objectives under Medium Term Plan IV (MTP IV) and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
By Anthony Solly
