The Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation & Irrigation Eng. Eric Mugaa officiated the launch of the National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (NISIP) at KICC on 21st March, 2025 on behalf of His Excellency Dr William Samoei Ruto, C.G.H.,
Anchored on the theme; “Accelerating Investment in Irrigation for Food Security and Socioeconomic Empowerment.” The National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (NISIP) 2025 – 2035 is a ten-year blue print whose primary goal is to establish a well-coordinated investment and financing framework for the irrigation sector.
The plan is a framework that aims to enhance and unlock the potential and opportunities of irrigation in the country. While developing this plan, we mapped out and brought on board all our stakeholders starting from the farmers, county governments, government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), development partners and the private sector.
NISIP has five Strategic Pathways, these are:
- Opportunities for Corporate Agribusiness and Public Financing aimed at addressing funding gaps to make projects viable.
- Expanded Farmer-Led Irrigation: Supporting large-scale irrigation expansion to benefit more farmers.
- High-Performing Public Schemes: Focusing on improving service delivery in existing public irrigation projects.
- Revitalization of Irrigation in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs): Ensuring food and fodder production for vulnerable pastoralist communities through water harvesting from seasonal rivers (laggas).
- Maximized Community Scheme Benefits: Strengthening community-based irrigation governance to ensure sustainability and developing new community-driven irrigation projects.
The Key objectives of the Investment Plan are:
- Enhance strategic alignment of Government investments
- Optimize the allocation of resources
- Enhance coordinated action among multiple stakeholders
- Mitigate risks associated with complex development challenges
- Ensure evidence-based decision-making
- Broaden the opportunities for capacity building
- Prioritize investments that can generate long-term positive impact,
- Enhance accountability and transparency in Government investments
Prior to the launch, the Principal Secretary, State Department for Irrigation led delegates in the pre-launch activities which comprised of presentations on irrigation investment opportunities and panel discussions with key stakeholders.
Present during the launch were the PS State Department for Irrigation; CPA Ephantus Kimotho, Governor for Turkana County; Hon. Jeremiah Ekamais Napotikan, Chief Executive Officer Equity Group Holdings; Dr. James Mwangi, immediate President Alliance for a green Revolution in Africa (AGRA); Dr. Agnes Kalibata MR. Saroj Kumar Jha, Global Director for the world Bank Group’s Water Global Practice (GP) and Mr. Alexander Fierley Deputy Ambassador, embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Also present was the Authority’s Chairman CPA Symon Kimaru, Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officers from NWHSA AND NIA Eng. Julius Mugun and Charles Muasya respectively among other senior officials and stakeholders.
