Muguga Micro Irrigation Project Ushers in a Greener Tomorrow for Schools

By Victor Patience Oyuko 

In Kabete constituency, a new chapter in Kenya’s sustainable agriculture journey is unfolding. The Muguga Primary School Micro Irrigation Project, launched today with a firm handshake between national and local leaders, is more than just a water project—it is a powerful symbol of hope, innovation, and long-term food security.

The project, which is being rolled out under the National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (NISIP), marks a major shift in how Kenya envisions the role of public institutions, particularly schools, in building resilience against climate change and food insecurity. By focusing on micro-irrigation and greenhouse farming at the school level, the initiative aims to cultivate not just food, but knowledge, responsibility, and environmental stewardship among schoolchildren.

Present at the launch was the Principal Secretary of the State Department for Irrigation, Ephantus Kimotho, who reiterated the government’s commitment to engaging the next generation in hands-on, sustainable agriculture. His presence, alongside Kabete Member of Parliament Hon. James Githua Wamacukuru, underlined the political will and community support backing this initiative.

A Blueprint for Micro-Irrigation Excellence

The Muguga Primary School project is being implemented with military-like precision over the next three months. The scope of work includes drilling and equipping a borehole, constructing a pump house and multiple water distribution points, installing solar infrastructure, erecting a steel water tower with an elevated tank, and setting up fully equipped greenhouses.

These components are not simply stand-alone assets—they are interwoven into a holistic irrigation and food production system that is energy-efficient, climate-smart, and sustainable. The solar-powered infrastructure not only reduces operational costs but also aligns with Kenya’s broader agenda for green energy and low-carbon development.

Behind this well-planned initiative is a vision that the PS Ephantus Kimotho has championed across the irrigation landscape: to decentralize climate resilience and make it a lived reality at the grassroots. In schools like Muguga, this vision finds practical expression in how children learn to till, irrigate, and harvest—skills that transcend the classroom and reach deep into the national conversation on food security.

Greenhouses in Schools: A Game-Changer

At the heart of the Muguga Micro Irrigation Project lies the promotion of greenhouse farming—a forward-thinking intervention that allows schools to grow vegetables and other crops year-round, regardless of seasonal variability. Greenhouses mitigate the risks posed by erratic rainfall and ensure consistent food supply for both school feeding programs and community markets.

In Muguga, this will translate into healthier meals for students, more engaged agricultural clubs, and even income-generating activities. Already, the school administration is eyeing spinach, sukuma wiki, tomatoes, and capsicum as priority crops that will flourish under the new greenhouse system.

This strategy is not just about feeding children; it’s about embedding a culture of production, entrepreneurship, and environmental care into Kenya’s education system. In doing so, it echoes the goals of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which emphasises applied knowledge and practical life skills.

Institutional Synergy and Shared Vision

The launch of the project was not a solo effort. PS Kimotho was accompanied by a high-level delegation from the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, including Secretary Administration Yatich Kipkemei, MBS; Secretary for Land Reclamation, Climate Resilience and Irrigation Water Management Joel Tanui; and Director of Land Reclamation Thandi Githae.

This cross-functional team represents the institutional backbone supporting this and other school-based irrigation efforts. Their collective expertise ensures that every borehole drilled, every water point installed, and every greenhouse erected is done with technical accuracy and a long-term vision for sustainability.

PS Ephantus Kimotho, whose leadership continues to be instrumental in advancing irrigation projects countrywide, praised the team’s technical readiness and the spirit of partnership that defined the day’s milestone. 

Transforming Schools into Hubs of Food Security

The Muguga model is not an isolated effort. It is part of a larger strategy to turn schools across Kenya into epicentres of food security and climate education. By leveraging school land for agriculture, and ensuring consistent water supply through solar-powered boreholes and micro-irrigation systems, the government is rewriting the narrative of school infrastructure in Kenya.

No longer are schools merely places for learning—they are becoming incubators for innovation, nutrition, and economic development. This aligns perfectly with Kenya Vision 2030 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), both of which call for community-level interventions that promote inclusive growth.

It is no coincidence that this transformation is happening under the stewardship of PS Kimotho, who has consistently advocated for localized, people-centred solutions to Kenya’s water and food challenges. His department’s approach is grounded in practicality, driven by evidence, and executed with a passion that resonates from urban centres to rural classrooms.

Empowering the Next Generation

Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of the Muguga Micro Irrigation Project is its focus on children. By involving students directly in the setup, management, and harvesting processes of greenhouse farming, the initiative equips them with tangible skills and a sense of purpose.

Agriculture is no longer a dusty subject confined to textbooks. It is now a living lesson, a hands-on experience that helps children understand ecosystems, climate challenges, and the rewards of hard work. These children are the future agripreneurs, climate champions, and policymakers—and Muguga is giving them a head start.

PS Ephantus Kimotho has emphasized this repeatedly: the future of food security in Kenya lies in the hands of today’s learners. By empowering them now, we invest in a generation that will be better prepared, more innovative, and deeply committed to national resilience.

Looking Ahead: Scaling the Model

If Muguga is any indication, then the future looks green indeed. The scalability of the micro-irrigation model makes it ideal for replication in thousands of public primary and secondary schools across the country. With minimal land requirements and decreasing costs of solar and greenhouse technologies, the opportunity for mass rollout is tangible.

Already, plans are underway to document the project’s progress, share lessons learned, and create a roadmap for expansion. Stakeholders in the education and agriculture sectors are watching closely, eager to see the long-term impacts of this pioneering approach.

It’s a future that is being built—quietly but confidently—in schools like Muguga. And it is being shaped by leaders who understand that real transformation begins with small seeds, sown in the right place, and nurtured with commitment and vision.

As PS Kimotho and his team continue to drive this agenda forward, Kenya inches closer to becoming a food-secure nation—one greenhouse, one child, and one school at a time.

Article by Victor Patience Oyuko.  To buy coffee: 0708883777