Coordinated investment in irrigation is key to Kenya's future

In a country where agriculture powers almost one third of the GDP, Kenya’s irrigation potential remains underutilised. Less than three per cent of the nation’s arable land is irrigated — far below the seven per cent Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) average.

With increasingly frequent droughts and erratic rainfall, reliance on rain-fed agriculture is no longer tenable.

Globally, only 20 per cent of arable land is irrigated, yet it produces 40 per cent of all food. Irrigation doesn’t just boost yields; it also builds climate resilience — turning drought into managed disruption instead of catastrophe. To unlock this potential in Kenya, coordinated investment in technology, finance, markets, knowledge and policy is needed.

Launched in March 2025, Kenya’s National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (NISIP) is SSA’s first-ever roadmap of its kind. The NISIP aims to bring an additional one million acres under irrigation by 2030. It’s not only about pipes and pumps. The plan aspires to revolutionise how Kenya invests in water and empowers smallholder farmers to drive change.

The NISIP identifies five investment pathways that aim to expand farmer-led irrigation development (FLID), support high performing public schemes, enable corporate irrigation, revitalise irrigation in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) and enhance community-based irrigation projects.

Today, a broader range of irrigation technologies and equipment is accessible and more affordable than ever. From solar-powered pumps to drip kits, smallholder-friendly solutions are growing in popularity. Solar irrigation, in particular, could potentially catalyse FLID and drive irrigation in ASALs  — cutting fuel costs and enabling productive use of energy in off-grid areas.

Yet, hardware alone is insufficient. Farmers require hands-on and timely guidance on where and how to drill wells, maintain pumps and use water efficiently. To achieve this, County Irrigation Development Units, NGOs and private sector suppliers need to join forces to support irrigation-focused extension services and demonstrations.

For many smallholder farmers, particularly women and youth, affordability remains the biggest hurdle. But there is hope. Climate-smart financing models, such as pay-as-you-go schemes that allow farmers to use solar systems while paying in small installments, and blended finance approaches that enable cost and risk sharing between farmers and other partners, are already gaining momentum in Kenya, Uganda and Senegal.

Some innovators are a step ahead as they offer irrigation as a service. Think ’irrigation-hailed services’, similar to those taxis offer, where suppliers bring pumps or rigs to farms and offer irrigation on demand, with farmers paying only for what they use.

Still, profitable irrigation is dependent on stable markets as it is on guaranteed water. High-value crops like vegetables and fruits thrive under irrigation — but farmers need assured buyers.

This calls for investment in rural infrastructure such as roads to promote corporate irrigation, cold storage facilities, aggregation centres and contract farming arrangements that support community-based irrigation. Marketing cooperatives and digital platforms can reduce price risks and insulate farmers from gluts during peak harvest.

Scaling irrigation requires policies that are transparent, inclusive and visionary. Water tariffs must balance cost recovery with affordability while legal frameworks should target individual farmers who undertake irrigation and not just group schemes. Secure land tenure and formalised water rights can also unlock long-term investments. The NISIP’s success depends on water, agriculture, energy and finance sectors aligning behind a shared vision.

Further, irrigation expansion will be deemed responsible if it is inclusive and sustainable. Women and youth, who are disproportionately excluded in access to land, finance and technology, must receive special support to participate and benefit. Equally critical is environmental conservation as uncontrolled irrigation threatens to salinise soils and deplete groundwater.

That is why climate-smart technologies such as drip irrigation, water harvesting, drought-tolerant crops and weather-informed scheduling must be mainstreamed. Sustainability is not optional; it is the foundation for long-term impact.

Kenya’s irrigation potential is massive. However, realising it will take more than ambition. It will require smart investment, coherent policy and inclusive delivery models.