PS Kimotho Deepens Climate-Smart Partnerships With Global Green Growth Institute

The Government has continued to position irrigation at the centre of Kenya’s climate response and food security strategy, with the State Department for Irrigation steadily opening new pathways for sustainable investment, innovation, and collaboration. This direction was clearly reflected when Irrigation Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho hosted a delegation from the Global Green Growth Institute at Maji House in Nairobi, an engagement that went beyond courtesy and into the substance of how Kenya can future-proof its irrigation sector.

The meeting brought together policy leadership and global expertise at a time when irrigation is no longer viewed simply as a means of boosting crop yields, but as a critical tool for climate adaptation, rural transformation, and inclusive economic growth. For PS Kimotho, the engagement aligned squarely with the department’s broader push to translate national plans into practical, bankable, and climate-resilient solutions for farmers across the country.

Irrigation at the Heart of Climate Resilience

Kenya’s agricultural sector remains highly exposed to climate variability, with prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall, and rising temperatures increasingly undermining rain-fed production systems. Within this context, irrigation has emerged as one of the most reliable buffers against climate shocks. PS Kimotho has consistently framed irrigation not as an optional add-on, but as a structural necessity for stabilising food systems and protecting livelihoods.

The engagement with GGGI reinforced this framing. Discussions centred on how irrigation systems can be designed and managed to deliver productivity gains while conserving water, reducing emissions, and strengthening resilience at farm and landscape level. This includes a shift toward efficient water use technologies, smarter conveyance systems, and energy-conscious irrigation models that reduce long-term operational costs for farmers.

For the State Department for Irrigation, climate resilience is no longer confined to policy language. It is being embedded into project design, financing models, and implementation frameworks, ensuring that new investments respond to both current production needs and future climate risks.

Advancing Farmer-Led Irrigation Development

A central theme of the discussions was the acceleration of farmer-led irrigation development. PS Kimotho has been clear that Kenya’s irrigation expansion cannot rely solely on large, centrally managed schemes. While flagship projects remain important, the real scale lies in empowering farmers and communities to adopt irrigation technologies that match their local conditions and economic realities.

The exchange with GGGI explored how innovative financing mechanisms can unlock this potential. Many smallholder farmers struggle to access affordable capital for irrigation equipment, water storage, or efficient pumping systems. By blending public resources with green finance, concessional funding, and results-based financing, these barriers can be lowered without placing unsustainable burdens on government budgets.

This approach aligns closely with the National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan, which prioritises inclusive growth and recognises farmer-led irrigation as a key driver of acreage expansion. Under PS Kimotho’s leadership, the department has increasingly emphasised models that give farmers ownership, responsibility, and long-term incentives to maintain their systems.

Green Investment as a Catalyst for Scale

The presence of the Global Green Growth Institute at the table underscored the growing role of green investment in Kenya’s irrigation agenda. GGGI’s global mandate to support low-carbon, climate-resilient development resonates strongly with the State Department’s current direction.

The discussions examined how green investment frameworks can support irrigation projects that deliver measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside economic returns. This includes investments that reduce water losses, promote renewable energy use, and support sustainable land and water management practices.

For PS Kimotho, the value of such partnerships lies not only in financing, but in the technical rigor they bring. Green investment demands clear metrics, strong governance, and credible monitoring systems. These requirements dovetail with the department’s push for data-driven planning and accountability, ensuring that irrigation investments deliver value for money and tangible impact on the ground.

Aligning Partnerships With National Priorities

Throughout the engagement, emphasis was placed on alignment with Kenya’s national development priorities. The National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan provides the overarching framework through which partnerships are coordinated, investments prioritised, and outcomes measured.

PS Kimotho has positioned NISIP as more than a planning document. It is the backbone of sector coordination, bringing together government agencies, development partners, private investors, and research institutions under a shared vision. The discussions with GGGI reflected this approach, focusing on how external support can be channelled toward clearly defined national objectives rather than fragmented pilot initiatives.

Particular attention was given to scaling irrigation infrastructure across diverse agro-ecological zones. Kenya’s irrigation needs vary widely, from arid and semi-arid lands to high-potential regions facing increasing climate stress. Tailored solutions, informed by local data and supported by flexible financing, are essential to ensure equitable and effective expansion.

Strengthening Water Management Systems

Efficient water management remains a cornerstone of sustainable irrigation. As competition for water resources intensifies, the ability to allocate, monitor, and use water wisely becomes increasingly important. The engagement with GGGI highlighted opportunities to strengthen water accounting systems, improve allocation frameworks, and integrate modern monitoring tools into irrigation management.

PS Kimotho has consistently underscored that expanding irrigation acreage must go hand in hand with safeguarding water resources. Poorly managed irrigation can exacerbate water scarcity, degrade ecosystems, and undermine long-term productivity. By contrast, well-designed systems can enhance water security, support multiple uses, and reduce conflict over shared resources.

The State Department’s interest in partnerships that bring both technical expertise and institutional strengthening reflects a recognition that sustainable irrigation is as much about governance as it is about infrastructure.

Partnerships That Deliver Results

The meeting reaffirmed the value of strategic partnerships in delivering complex development outcomes. Kenya’s irrigation transformation requires collaboration across sectors, institutions, and borders. No single actor can address the intertwined challenges of climate change, food security, water scarcity, and rural livelihoods alone.

For PS Kimotho, partnerships such as the one with GGGI are most effective when they are anchored in mutual accountability and shared results. The focus is increasingly on moving from dialogue to implementation, ensuring that engagements translate into projects, financing arrangements, and capacity-building initiatives that benefit farmers and communities.

This results-oriented approach reflects a broader shift within the State Department for Irrigation toward performance, delivery, and measurable impact. It also mirrors the expectations of farmers, who are less concerned with policy processes and more interested in reliable water, affordable technologies, and stable incomes.

A Forward-Looking Irrigation Agenda

As Kenya navigates a changing climate and growing food demand, irrigation will continue to play a defining role in shaping the country’s agricultural future. The engagement between PS Ephantus Kimotho and the Global Green Growth Institute highlighted how international partnerships can support this transition by bringing innovation, financing, and global experience into national systems.

The State Department for Irrigation’s openness to such collaboration signals confidence in its strategic direction and readiness to engage with partners who share a commitment to sustainability and inclusive growth. By grounding partnerships in national plans, prioritising farmer-led development, and embracing green investment principles, the department is laying the groundwork for irrigation systems that are resilient, efficient, and economically viable.

As discussions with GGGI progress, the focus will remain on translating shared ambitions into practical interventions that strengthen food security, protect water resources, and improve livelihoods. Under the leadership of PS Kimotho, irrigation is increasingly being framed not just as infrastructure, but as a long-term investment in Kenya’s resilience and prosperity.

In that sense, the engagement at Maji House was not an isolated meeting, but part of a broader effort to reimagine how irrigation can drive sustainable development in a climate-constrained world.

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