FEATURE
Irrigation in Kenya
By Nita Karume
E
arlier on this month, the
Hungarian government
established an organic Water
Retainer solution plant in Kirinyaga
County in Kenya. The plant, which is
aimed at enhancing water storage is
expected to in turn increase yield and crop
health in the Mt. Kenya region.
According to agricultural experts,
the prevailing technology will also
reduce cases of soil degradation.
It will also aid in the regulation of
soil water balance. This, they say,
will go a long way towards ensuring
endurance of crops during dry
weather patterns. The initiative is
seen as a huge step forward towards
achieving food security. Moreover,
the organic water retainer plant is
expected to not only scale up water
harvesting but also increase yield.
Over-reliance on rain fed agriculture
coupled with erratic weather
conditions have been a major pain
for farmers for years. This has
since seen the Kenyan Government
intensify irrigation efforts. The
26 |November - December 2018
organic water retainer innovation is
part of an agricultural cooperation
between Kenya and Hungary. This
move will no doubt revolutionize
irrigation and farming in Kenya. It will
also serve as a yardstick for organic
agriculture in the East-African region.
Irrigation development in Kenya
Kenya has a relatively limited irrigation
tradition as the majority of existing
irrigated areas were developed
between 1960 and 1980. Since then,
the rate of irrigation has reportedly
declined. This is despite the irrigation
growth over the years. According to