As part of their continued efforts to boost Kenya's food production capacity, the government has begun scaling up investment in irrigation, Kenyan President William Ruto said
According to Ruto, irrigation will help the country increase acreage under cultivation and stop reliance on rain-fed agriculture. The government's US$378.5mn investment in water projects will help the country reduce the importation of food that can be produced locally.
During the commissioning of the Rwabura Irrigation Project Phase 1 in Gatundu, Kiambu County, the President remarked that the project would serve more than 5,000 farmers, while creating more than 25,000 jobs. The Mathira Community Water Supply Project that is expected to benefit more than 25,000 people, was commissioned earlier in Ihwagi, Nyeri County. Furthermore, he also launched the 320-unit Blue Valley Affordable Housing project in Nyeri Town Constituency, Nyeri County.
“Every year, we spend US$43.15bn to import food produced by farmers from other countries. We want this money to go to our own farmers,” Ruto said.
