Smallholder Irrigation Programme for the Mt. Kenya Region
The Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, Eng. Eric Mugaa this morning led key stakeholders of the Smallholder Irrigation Programme for the Mt. Kenya Region in paying a courtesy call to the Kirinyaga County Government. The delegation was received by the Deputy Governor, Mr. David Githanda, on behalf of H.E. Anne M. Waiguru, EGH, Governor of Kirinyaga County, at the county headquarters.
The high-level delegation comprised the Principal Secretary for Irrigation, CPA Ephantus Kimotho, CBS; the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Kenya, H.E. Sebastian Groth; the Head of German Cooperation, Ms. Maren Kneller; and Dr. James Mwangi, CBS, Group Managing Director and CEO, Equity Group Holdings Plc.
The courtesy call preceded a scheduled field inspection of the Kandeki and Mitooini Irrigation Cooperative Projects in Kirinyaga County, which form part of the ongoing Smallholder Irrigation Programme for the Mt. Kenya Region.
The Programme aims to empower organized farmer groups through Irrigation Cooperative Societies by strengthening aggregation, value addition, and market access. It is implemented under a 50:50 cost-sharing financing model where farmers obtain 50% of project financing through an Equity Bank loan while the Government finances the remaining 50% using a concessional loan from KfW Development Bank. To reinforce ownership and sustainability, farmers are required to contribute 10% upfront before commencement of construction and thereafter assume full responsibility for scheme management, operations, and maintenance.