Tapping the Power of the Dauwa River: A Bold Irrigation Vision for Mandera Under Kenya's Bottom-Up Agenda

By Victor Patience Oyuko 

On Tuesday, the State Department of Irrigation Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho welcomed a high-level delegation from Mandera County to Maji House, led by Deputy Governor H.E. Dr. Ali Maalim. The meeting was more than a courtesy call—it marked the beginning of a potentially transformative irrigation intervention in one of Kenya’s most climate-vulnerable regions. At the heart of the discussion was the Dauwa River, a roughly 150-kilometre transboundary watercourse that traces parts of the border between Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia. Preliminary technical assessments have revealed that this river holds the potential to irrigate up to 40,000 acres of land—an opportunity that could change the economic trajectory of Mandera County.

In a county where over 72 percent of household income is derived from pastoralism, the discovery of such an irrigation opportunity is nothing short of revolutionary. The PS’s engagement signals serious commitment to unlocking this potential, and it comes at a time when climate change has made the need for water security and diversified livelihoods more urgent than ever. Droughts, floods, and erratic rainfall patterns have left pastoral communities increasingly exposed. The State Department of Irrigation under PS Kimotho is now providing leadership in transforming these vulnerabilities into opportunities.

Dauwa River: An Untapped Engine of Agricultural Growth

The PS was quick to point out the strategic value of the Dauwa River to Mandera and the entire northeastern region. As a natural water resource situated in an arid and semi-arid land (ASAL), the Dauwa River can unlock possibilities that rainfall-dependent agriculture never could. With irrigation infrastructure in place, farmers can grow crops year-round, improve food security, stabilise household incomes, and move away from the climate-sensitive cycles of livestock-only economies.

What makes this intervention particularly promising is that the land surrounding the Dauwa River is expansive and fertile enough to support large-scale cultivation if water is made consistently available. This would mean food production within Mandera itself, less reliance on imported commodities, and the rise of a local market economy capable of sustaining itself even in prolonged dry spells.

PS Kimotho noted that the opportunity aligns fully with the National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (NISIP) pathway, which prioritises the revitalisation of irrigation in ASALs. According to the PS, the Dauwa initiative exemplifies how data-driven planning and local leadership can combine to produce high-impact results that support national priorities and grassroots realities alike.

Climate Resilience and Food Security at the Core

Climate change continues to hammer pastoralist communities with relentless cycles of drought, crop failure, and flash floods. In this context, irrigation is not just a development strategy—it is a resilience tool. The ability to irrigate 40,000 acres offers not only food and income but stability, predictability, and hope. Communities that rely on erratic rainfall cycles can instead plan, plant, harvest, and sell on more secure timelines.

The PS highlighted this perspective during the meeting, stressing that the harnessing of the Dauwa River is not a luxury—it is a necessity. Irrigation, he said, is central to building climate-resilient livelihoods, especially in counties like Mandera that lie at the sharp edge of environmental volatility. Crops cultivated through sustainable irrigation methods can help households recover more quickly after shocks, withstand market fluctuations, and remain food secure even during long dry seasons.

A Vision Anchored in the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda

The Dauwa River project fits squarely within the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which aims to empower communities from the grassroots level up. Under BETA, counties like Mandera—previously seen as marginal or peripheral—are being recognised as frontiers of opportunity. Investments are no longer concentrated only in high-potential areas; instead, they are flowing to where the need is greatest and the impact most transformative.

The State Department of Irrigation under PS Kimotho has been instrumental in ensuring that this shift is not just theoretical but operational. Through initiatives such as this one, the PS is delivering on the national government’s commitment to inclusive development. Irrigated agriculture in Mandera promises to create jobs, build local markets, boost food supply chains, and enhance regional trade. It reflects BETA in its purest form: a deliberate policy effort to raise the productivity and prosperity of communities often left behind.

By introducing irrigation where it is needed most, PS Kimotho is supporting the diversification of income sources, reducing rural poverty, and providing a viable alternative to over-reliance on pastoralism. In doing so, the department is not only fulfilling its technical mandate but is also advancing the socio-economic equity envisioned in the Bottom-Up framework.

A Technocratic Hand with a Strategic Eye

Throughout the meeting, PS Kimotho demonstrated a firm grasp of the technical, diplomatic, and logistical dimensions that such a cross-border project entails. The Dauwa River touches three nations, which introduces complexities around water sharing, legal jurisdiction, and environmental safeguards. Yet under his stewardship, these challenges are being approached with clarity and foresight.

The PS emphasised the importance of thorough hydrological studies, cross-agency coordination, and local community engagement as the next steps. His assurance to Mandera leaders that the State Department of Irrigation is fully committed to supporting the project has already begun to set a tone of confidence and collaboration. In a region where many ambitious projects have faltered due to bureaucratic delays or lack of ownership, this clarity of purpose is both timely and essential.

PS Kimotho’s leadership in this context goes beyond routine administration. It represents the reimagining of irrigation as a national strategic lever—one that can anchor food security, stimulate economic growth, and stabilise regions prone to volatility.

A River of Possibilities, A County on the Brink of Change

The potential of the Dauwa River to irrigate 40,000 acres of Mandera’s dry lands is monumental. With the right investment, careful planning, and continued collaboration between national and county governments, it could become one of the most transformative irrigation projects in Kenya’s recent history.

Tuesday’s meeting at Maji House laid the foundation for that transformation. Under the guidance of State Department of Irrigation PS Ephantus Kimotho, the country is turning a corner—where rivers are no longer just boundaries, but bridges to a more food-secure and economically resilient future. For the people of Mandera, that future may now flow through the Dauwa River.

Article by Victor Patience Oyuko. To buy coffee: 0708883777