Construction of the Escarpment Belt Irrigation Project in Lari Constituency is moving ahead with major groundwork completed at the intake site along the Gatamaiyu River in Kinale Forest. The Sh316 million initiative, spearheaded by the State Department for Irrigation in partnership with local leaders, seeks to tackle chronic water shortages and lift agricultural output in one of the region’s most vulnerable farming zones.
Once operational, the project will irrigate roughly 500 acres using a gravity-fed piped sprinkler system that draws directly from the Gatamaiyu River. Officials say more than 1,500 residents will benefit directly, while an estimated 10,000 families across Kijabe, Machani, Mbau-ini, Korio, Kabunge, Escarpment and Gitithia areas stand to gain indirectly from increased food production and farm incomes.
River diversion works complete
Engineers have successfully finished river diversion works at the intake point, allowing the next phase to proceed without seasonal interruptions. Attention has now turned to excavation and rock chiseling as crews prepare the foundation for a weir and associated head works.
Survey teams are currently on site carrying out beaconing exercises to determine the final height of the weir. That measurement is considered a critical step before major structural work can begin. Once the survey is finalized, contractors are expected to launch full weir construction, with material delivery scheduled in the coming weeks.
Pipeline network to follow
Beyond the weir, preparations are already underway for a 1,450-metre pipeline that will distribute water across the escarpment belt. The conveyance system is designed to operate without pumps, relying on the natural gradient from the forested intake down to farmlands below. That approach keeps operational costs low for smallholders who have long relied on unpredictable rainfall.
During earlier site inspections, Irrigation Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho described the project as part of a wider government push to strengthen food security and climate resilience in arid and semi-arid areas. He noted that similar gravity-fed schemes are being evaluated in other drought-prone counties as the State Department expands irrigation coverage beyond traditional large-scale schemes.
Hope for dry season farming
For farmers in the Escarpment belt, the project cannot come soon enough. The area has recorded poor harvests in three of the past five growing seasons due to erratic rains and degraded catchment zones. Local agricultural officers expect that reliable irrigation will allow farmers to grow high-value vegetables, maize, and fodder crops even during long dry spells.
Construction is moving at a steady pace, with the weir and conveyance system expected to be substantially complete before the end of the current financial year. Officials have urged residents to safeguard the infrastructure once operational, warning that vandalism of irrigation lines has undermined similar projects elsewhere in the country.
