PS Kimotho Signs Game-Changing MoU to Drive Climate-Smart Farming

The State Department for Irrigation has reached a new and defining milestone with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). Presided over by Irrigation Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho, this agreement marks a pivotal step in strengthening Kenya’s institutional capacity, expanding climate-resilient irrigation systems, and deepening the country’s long-term water security strategy.

The MoU, signed today, formalizes a structured partnership with IWMI, one of the world’s foremost research institutions on water management. It sets the stage for coordinated action across policy development, technological innovation, knowledge generation, and investment mobilization. For Kenya, this partnership represents both an acceleration and validation of an agenda that is already transforming the agricultural landscape: the National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (NISIP 2025–2035), the Presidential Irrigation Expansion Programme, and the broader BETA commitments under the leadership of His Excellency President Dr. William Samoei Ruto.

After the signing, PS Kimotho underscored that the partnership deepens the State Department’s strategic push toward developing modern, efficient, and financially sustainable irrigation systems. He also noted that IWMI’s expertise is not theoretical; it has been tested globally and tailored to the realities of developing and emerging economies facing climate instability, high water demand, and pressure to expand food production.

A Partnership Anchored in Technical Precision and National Priorities

At the core of the MoU is a shared ambition to improve Kenya’s irrigation governance framework by introducing best-practice tools, data systems, and financing approaches that ensure long-term operational viability. IWMI will work jointly with the State Department for Irrigation to design and refine context-specific water tariff structures, an increasingly important aspect of sustainable irrigation.

In Kenya, water tariffs for irrigation serve multiple policy objectives: cost recovery, equitable access, predictable scheme management, and stability for private sector participation. PS Kimotho emphasised that clear and transparent tariff frameworks are indispensable for large-scale PPP irrigation projects. Without them, private investors cannot commit financing, and public agencies cannot sustain operations or reinvest in infrastructure expansion. The partnership with IWMI therefore secures a technical backbone for tariff design, water accounting, and operational efficiency in both existing and upcoming irrigation schemes.

IWMI’s representation at the signing ceremony included Dr. Inga Jacobs-Mata, Director of Water, Growth and Inclusion; and Mr. Abdulkarim H. Seid, the organisation’s Representative for Ethiopia and East Africa. Their participation signified IWMI’s commitment to embedding Kenya’s irrigation transformation within global best practices, while ensuring that the solutions applied remain locally grounded and community-responsive.

Strengthening Institutional Architecture for Irrigation Development

The MoU will also support the State Department’s ongoing reforms aimed at establishing a modern institutional architecture that can support large-scale irrigation development across Kenya. This includes workstreams such as:

• Strengthening policy and regulatory frameworks for irrigation governance.

• Enhancing data-driven decision-making through advanced monitoring, evaluation, and reporting tools.

• Supporting the institutionalisation of Irrigation Water Users Associations (IWUAs), ensuring they have the managerial capacity to run scheme operations effectively.

• Building government capacity in water accounting, efficiency measurement, and scheme performance diagnostics.

These are foundational elements of the State Department’s strategy to enhance transparency, improve service delivery, and ensure that irrigation infrastructure, whether public, private, or blended, delivers maximum value for farmers and taxpayers.

PS Kimotho highlighted that robust institutions are not an academic aspiration but a practical necessity. As Kenya expands irrigated acreage to meet rising food demand, the systems that manage water allocation, maintenance, financing, and dispute resolution must be equally dynamic and well-resourced. IWMI’s technical assistance will therefore strengthen governance along the entire irrigation value chain.

Driving Climate-Smart Irrigation and Nature-Based Water Solutions

Climate change continues to exert significant pressure on Kenya’s water and food systems. The MoU places strong emphasis on accelerating the transition to climate-smart irrigation technologies capable of reducing water losses, enhancing resilience during dry spells, and supporting year-round production.

Under this partnership, the State Department for Irrigation will work with IWMI to scale technologies such as:

• Solar-powered pumping systems,

• Pressurized and drip irrigation solutions,

• Precision irrigation guided by digital monitoring tools,

• Water harvesting, storage, and conveyance solutions designed for climate-stressed ecosystems.

Additionally, the MoU promotes nature-based and circular economy approaches, ensuring that irrigation development does not merely increase acreage but also strengthens ecological stability. This includes watershed protection, soil conservation, groundwater recharge, and environmentally responsible engineering designs.

These innovations are critical for ensuring that irrigation expansion aligns with Kenya’s climate commitments and supports resilient livelihoods for farmers across all production zones.

Building the Foundations for Investment Mobilisation and PPP Acceleration

One of the most strategic components of the MoU is its focus on developing viable financing models for irrigation. The Government of Kenya has outlined an ambitious pipeline of medium and large irrigation projects, many of which require blended financing through public funding, concessional loans, climate finance, and private investment.

IWMI will provide technical support in structuring PPP opportunities, assessing financial risks, modelling water service revenues, and creating investment-ready project packages. For Kenya, this provides a pathway to unlock billions of shillings in capital required to drive the next decade of irrigation expansion.

PS Kimotho reiterated that NISIP 2025–2035 has already mapped the national irrigation investment gap. The MoU ensures that Kenya will not only plan but also secure partnerships capable of delivering the required infrastructure at scale, within predictable timelines, and at sustainable cost.

Improving Food Security, Expanding Irrigation Acreage, and Securing Livelihoods

The ultimate beneficiaries of this partnership are Kenyan farmers, smallholders and commercial producers alike. The State Department for Irrigation has consistently emphasised that irrigation remains one of the most powerful levers for transforming Kenya’s agriculture from rain-fed vulnerability to climate-proof productivity.

By aligning the MoU with national priorities, the State Department aims to accelerate progress toward expanding irrigated acreage, reducing food imports, increasing agricultural competitiveness, and enhancing farmer incomes.

The partnership is expected to make tangible contributions to:

• Scaling the area under irrigation,

• Reducing the cost of water service delivery,

• Increasing crop yields and value chain efficiency,

• Strengthening community governance through IWUAs and cooperatives,

• Establishing predictable, farmer-friendly tariff regimes,

• Reducing climate-related production shocks.

These outcomes align with the Agricultural Transformation and Food Security objectives embedded in the BETA agenda, which envisions irrigation as a cornerstone of Kenya’s sustainable food systems.

A Commitment to a Shared Future of Innovation and Resilience

PS Ephantus Kimotho emphasised that the MoU is not simply a ceremonial document but a framework of action. The State Department for Irrigation and IWMI have committed to sustained collaboration through technical working groups, shared research, pilot projects, and joint capacity-building programmes that will shape Kenya’s irrigation sector for the next decade.

He noted that the partnership arrives at a defining moment, as the Government accelerates irrigation expansion to support food security, climate adaptation, and economic growth. The MoU therefore represents a deliberate investment in knowledge, systems, and technologies that will uphold the interests of farmers, safeguard water resources, and propel the country toward long-term agricultural sustainability.

With aligned priorities, strong political backing, and world-class technical support from IWMI, Kenya is now better positioned to deliver transformative irrigation investments capable of reshaping the country’s food production landscape.

Article by Victor Patience Oyuko. To support the blog, Mpesa: 0708883777