A comparative Agro-Ecological Assessment of selected irrigation and Drainage Schemes in Western and Central Kenya

Abstract

Irrigation and drainage could greatly improve not only agricultural production and diversified cropping patterns but also involve the idle population in highly productive enterprises. Expected financial gains would then go along way in the improvement of the pathetic rural economy dominated by food insecurity and high poverty levels in which the majority of the population find themselves in. A preliminary investigation in these seven districts (i.e. two in Nyanza (Nyando and Bondo), two in Western (Busia and Bungoma), two in Central (Nyeri and Kirinyaga) and one in Eastern (Meru) revealed some reasons why the schemes have not performed to required standards. There are various categories of irrigation and drainage schemes in Kenya. These range between the large-scale centrally-managed to the small-scale individually run categories. Management of the large scale irrigation schemes have undergone through the stages of identification of water source which can be exploited for irrigation purpose and an area to which the irrigation can be applied. These categories of schemes are/were usually financed by already established organisations such as the National Irrigation Board (NIB) who seek assistance from donors. NIB then implements the irrigation/drainage infrastructure, provides inputs and facilitates marketing services.