Kenya - Kimira-Oluch Smallholder Irrigation Development Project

The Kamira-Oluch Smallholder Farm Improvement Project will develop two irrigation schemes which will improve land productivity and substantially increase smallholder farmers’ average income. It supports Kenya’s current development strategy that focuses on growth and poverty reduction articulated in the ERSWC. The project will focus on agriculture intensification through developing irrigation infrastructure, empowering farmers to own and manage their schemes and improve productivity. It will focus on the following activities: a) Irrigation Scheme Development and Management; b) Marketing and Extension; and c) Project Coordination. The introduction of irrigation will help to increase the yields of the traditional crops and introduce new crops. Irrigation will also enable farmers to produce crops throughout the year, especially in the dry season when prices are high and when the region suffers from food-insecurity. The Project will be implemented over a period of 6 years, starting from September 2006 with a total cost estimated at UA 27.77 million.