The government of Kenya through the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation has inked a deal with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) to boost irrigation
The government aims to raise the irrigated area from 747,000 acres recorded last year to 1.2 million acres by 2027, with a long-term target of 2.5 million acres by 2030. According to Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho, the collaboration supports the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and is expected to significantly boost agricultural productivity. He noted that IWMI’s expertise will help advance national irrigation development priorities at a time when the Kenya Red Cross is warning about worsening drought conditions affecting nearly two million people who now face acute food insecurity.
Kimotho said the ministry and IWMI have already identified priority areas after joint consultations and will begin fast-tracking interventions. These include conducting a baseline study to inform the prioritisation of projects under the National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (NISIP), mapping existing schemes, evaluating land suitability and designing water tariff structures that ensure cost recovery, fairness and long-term sustainability.
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Scope of MoU
The MoU signed by Kimotho, IWMI’s East Africa representative Abdulkarim Seid and witnessed by IWMI’s director of water, growth and inclusion, Inga Mata establishes a framework for collaboration in areas such as resource mobilisation for climate-smart irrigation research, strengthening scheme governance, advancing water–energy efficiency and promoting better soil and water conservation.
The agreement also covers support for policy reforms, inclusive governance approaches, innovative financing models and the scaling up of sustainable technologies including solar-powered irrigation systems and nature-based water harvesting solutions. Kimotho said the partnership will help create an enabling environment for investment, improve efficiency and equity in irrigation development, and enhance climate resilience and natural resource management. The ministry expects the collaboration to accelerate progress toward Vision 2030 by improving food security and supporting socio-economic growth.
IWMI, a global research-for-development organisation headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, brings decades of experience in sustainable water and land management. Its work spanning research, capacity building, policy analysis and partnerships advances solutions for agriculture, ecosystems, climate adaptation and inclusive economic development, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
The MoU carries no financial obligations for either party at this stage; any future financial commitments will be governed by separate agreements. Both sides affirmed that the partnership establishes a strong institutional foundation for expanding irrigation, improving the performance of existing schemes and delivering long-term solutions to persistent challenges in Kenya’s irrigation sector, ultimately strengthening the country’s resilience to climate shocks.
