NAIROBI, Kenya — The government is accelerating a shift from rain-fed agriculture to irrigation-based farming, with plans to construct mega dams under a new financing model aimed at stabilising food production amid climate change.
Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eric Mugaa said the strategy will ensure a reliable water supply for farmers and reduce dependence on increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns.
Speaking on the government podcast Bonga Na Gava, Mugaa noted that erratic weather has disrupted traditional farming cycles, undermining gains made through subsidised farm inputs.
“Climate change has made traditional rain-fed agriculture unreliable. Our goal is to transition to irrigation-based farming, allowing crops to be grown at any time, regardless of rainfall,” he said.
Kenya’s agriculture sector, which remains a key pillar of the economy, has in recent years faced recurring shocks from droughts and unseasonal rains. Mugaa cited recent unexpected rainfall in February that disrupted planting schedules as evidence of growing climate volatility.
To fund the ambitious dam construction programme, the government plans to tap into the National Infrastructure Fund (NIF), marking a shift away from reliance on the National Treasury.
Mugaa described the approach as “asset conversion,” where existing government assets are leveraged to unlock capital for new infrastructure projects rather than being sold outright.
“Rather than simply selling assets, we are converting mature assets into capital that can be used to fund new infrastructure,” he said, adding that the model is designed to provide sustainable, long-term financing.
The NIF will also anchor Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), enabling the government to attract private sector investment into large-scale water projects. According to the CS, blended financing under the PPP framework will accelerate the delivery of economically viable dam projects.
However, concerns over affordability remain central to the plan. Mugaa said the government would intervene to ensure water tariffs remain within reach for consumers, even as private investors seek returns.
The Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB) will continue to regulate tariffs, with the NIF acting as a financial buffer to bridge any gap between investor expectations and consumer pricing.
“The NIF will ensure projects remain viable for investors while keeping water costs affordable for Kenyans,” Mugaa said.
On specific projects, the CS addressed the stalled Itare Dam Water Project, which has been allocated Sh38 billion. He revealed that the government is seeking a new contractor from Italy after rejecting a previous proposal.
“We conducted thorough due diligence… however, we were not satisfied with the arrangement. We have formally requested the Italian government to support us in identifying a new contractor,” he said.
