Turkana County is poised for expanded agricultural transformation through ongoing irrigation development projects to boost food production and address persistent water scarcity in the arid region.
The county, which has been identified as having significant agricultural potential despite its dry conditions, is positioning irrigation as the main driver of increased productivity.
Water scarcity remains the key constraint to agricultural output, with authorities and stakeholders pointing to strategic irrigation development as a critical intervention to unlock large-scale farming.
Nationally, Kenya is targeting an additional 2,000,000 acres under irrigation, with Turkana County expected to contribute about 200,000 acres, representing roughly 10 per cent of the expansion.
This is expected to be achieved through the utilisation of seasonal river flows, known as laggahs, and underground water resources.
The water will be harnessed and stored in dams, including the proposed Turkwell Dam and Lowaat Dam, as well as other planned infrastructure intended to support irrigation across the county.
The State Department for Irrigation is currently implementing several projects in the county, including the Lowaat and Turkwel Dam initiatives, which are part of the Kenya Kwanza administration’s 50 Mega Dams agenda. The programme is intended to increase irrigation capacity nationally and support food production and livelihoods.
Turkana has also been designated as a priority area for large-scale irrigation commercialisation, with emphasis on community-based irrigation schemes aimed at improving food security and creating economic opportunities for local farmers.
However, progress has been affected by challenges including inadequate infrastructure, weak irrigation systems, and siltation, which continue to limit efficiency and sustainability in existing schemes.
On Wednesday, the Principal Secretary for Irrigation, together with Turkana County Chief Officer for Agriculture David Maraka, conducted an inspection tour of key irrigation sites in the region.
The visit covered the Nanyee Irrigation Scheme along the Turkwel Earth Dam in Loima and the Alfred Powery Irrigation Project in Turkana Central.
The inspection focused on assessing irrigation infrastructure along the Turkwel basin and identifying practical measures to improve water distribution, efficiency, and overall agricultural productivity.
The Turkwel Dam, which has a capacity of approximately 2.6 million cubic metres, plays a central role in supporting irrigation activities in the area.
The Nanyee Irrigation Scheme currently covers about 7,000 acres but continues to face water management challenges.
Ongoing and planned interventions, including the construction of embankments, canals, and improved water abstraction from the River Turkwel, are expected to expand the scheme’s coverage to about 10,000 acres.
During the visit, the Principal Secretary also commissioned a micro-irrigation project at Alfred Powery School, which has set aside approximately two acres of land for irrigation development. In the current phase, about 0.5 acres will be developed, supported by a borehole described as having high yield.
The school and surrounding community have called for increased water storage capacity and expansion of the irrigated area to enhance agricultural output, support school feeding programmes, and benefit the wider community.
These interventions are part of broader government efforts under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, which prioritises strengthening food security, promoting sustainable agriculture, and improving livelihoods at the community level.
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