How PS Kimotho Is Transforming Kenya’s Sugar Sector Through Irrigation Power

By Victor Oyuko 

In Tana River County, something powerful is happening. It's the kind of project that gives real hope to ordinary Kenyans. It's bold. It's practical. And it speaks directly to the kind of future we all want, one where our farmers thrive, our youth have jobs, and our country feeds itself.

On Wednesday, Irrigation Principal Secretary CPA Ephantus Kimotho, alongside Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eric Muuga and National Irrigation Authority CEO Eng. Charles Muasya, visited the Tana River Sugar Company’s Field Demonstration Farm inside the Bura Irrigation Scheme. What they saw wasn’t just another farming venture. It was a symbol of Kenya’s rising potential in the fight for food security and economic freedom.

This is how nations are built, by bold action on the ground, not empty words on paper.

A Bold New Chapter for Sugarcane Farming

At the centre of this transformative visit is a forward-looking private sector initiative. The Tana River Sugar Company has already leased 700 acres within the scheme. This land is currently being used for seed cane development and trials involving eight different sugarcane varieties. The goal? Identify the best-performing, highest-yielding cane suited to Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs).

Think about that. Real science. Real testing. Real investment. Not just wishful thinking.

This isn’t a pipe dream. It’s happening. And it’s only the beginning.

The investor behind the project isn’t stopping at 700 acres. They’ve already applied for a massive expansion, up to 20,000 acres within the Bura Irrigation Scheme. That’s not just ambition. That’s serious confidence in Kenya’s agricultural future.

And they’re not wrong.

Numbers That Speak Loud and Clear

The potential yield is staggering. With expected returns of between 95 to 153 tonnes per hectare, even a conservative rollout on 8,000 hectares could generate between 760,000 to 1.22 million tonnes of cane every year. That is not just sugarcane, it’s power. Economic power. Food security power. National pride.

Currently, Kenya imports a significant portion of its sugar to meet domestic demand. This import dependence drives up consumer prices and puts unnecessary pressure on our trade balance. But this project could change all that.

If we can grow our own cane, process our own sugar, and meet our own needs, why should we depend on imports? Why should our people suffer high sugar prices when we can produce enough locally?

We shouldn’t. And we won’t.

Thousands of Jobs and a New Dawn for Tana River

But this project isn’t just about sugar. It’s about people. It’s about communities that have waited too long for meaningful development. It’s about families that need stable incomes. It’s about giving young people a reason to stay, to build, and to believe.

This sugarcane initiative is expected to create thousands of jobs, both directly on the farms and indirectly through value chains. From transporters to machine operators, from cane cutters to traders, everyone will have a stake. Everyone wins.

And we’re not talking about short-term, seasonal work. We’re talking about sustainable, long-term employment that transforms lives. We’re talking about irrigation that works for the people, not just for statistics in government reports.

This is how you grow a region. This is how you put money in people’s pockets. This is how you build dignity and purpose.

Public-Private Partnerships That Actually Work

What makes this project so powerful is the collaboration behind it. It’s not just government. It’s not just the private sector. It’s both, working hand in hand to unlock the full potential of Kenya’s irrigable land.

The government, through the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, and the National Irrigation Authority, is providing the infrastructure, support, and policy environment to make this possible. The private sector is bringing in the capital, the innovation, and the drive to make things happen fast and effectively.

This is what the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) is all about. Not handouts. Not rhetoric. Real, structured investment in the grassroots. Investment that moves the economy from the bottom going up. Investment that works for the mwananchi.

From Desert to Breadbasket

Many people have long written off Kenya’s ASALs as barren, unproductive, and hopeless. But that’s a lie. The truth is these regions are sitting on gold, if we’re bold enough to use the right tools. Water. Irrigation. Technology. And visionary leadership.

The Bura Irrigation Scheme has always held promise. But what we are seeing now is its real potential beginning to unfold. Sugarcane farming in Tana River could be the beginning of a larger revolution in irrigated agriculture across all ASAL counties.

Imagine similar projects in Turkana, Garissa, Isiolo, and beyond. Imagine green fields in places that were once dry and forgotten. Imagine young people no longer having to migrate to cities because the land at home is thriving.

That’s not just a dream. It’s a plan. A plan backed by action.

The Right Leadership at the Right Time

The presence of PS Ephantus Kimotho, CS Eric Muuga, and NIA CEO Charles Muasya at the site wasn’t symbolic. It was strategic. These are the leaders steering Kenya’s irrigation revolution. They are on the ground, not behind desks. They are listening, learning, and leading.

And they are telling Kenyans this:

"We see you. We hear you. And we are working for you."

When you have leaders who understand that irrigation is not just about water but about lives, livelihoods, and legacy, you know you’re on the right path.

Kenya First, Always

What’s happening in Tana River should make every Kenyan proud. It’s a story of resilience, of innovation, and of patriotism. We’re finally realizing that we don’t have to beg the world for what we can grow ourselves.

We can reclaim our economy. We can secure our food. We can empower our people.

We’re not waiting for foreign aid. We’re not depending on chance. We are building with our own hands, from the ground up.

This is not just about sugar. It’s about sovereignty.

A Call to Action

Now is the time for all stakeholders, farmers, investors, local leaders, and policymakers, to come together and support this momentum. Let’s build on this success. Let’s duplicate it. Let’s protect it.

Kenya can be a sugar exporter. Kenya can feed itself. Kenya can rise.

This is the kind of story every Kenyan should hear. This is what hope looks like. Not in speeches, but in soil, in seeds, and in sweat.

The Future Is Sweet

The Tana River Sugar initiative is more than a farm. It’s a national statement. A reminder that we are capable. That we are ready. That the future is not somewhere out there, it’s being built right here, one irrigation pipe and one cane stalk at a time.

Let no one lie to you. Kenya is not finished. Kenya is just getting started.

And with leaders like PS Ephantus Kimotho, CS Eric Muuga, and visionaries in the private sector, we are going to make Kenya great again.

Article by Victor Oyuko.  To buy coffee: 0708883777