The Kenyan government has announced a plan to construct at least six large dams and expand irrigation to 2 million acres of farmland. This initiative aims to enhance food security, protect farmers from climate change impacts, and unlock the vast economic potential of Kenya's arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). The proposed dams include the Lower Turkwel Dam on Lake Turkana, the Galana Dam on the Tana River and Kiliifi, the Bassalunga Dam in Isiolo, the Radat Dam in Baringo, the Great Falls Dam, and the Tuchi Dam in Embu County. The plan is based on the National Agricultural Sector Investment Plan and will be implemented under the leadership of the Ministry of Irrigation. With increasingly severe issues such as erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and rising food prices, the vulnerability of rain-fed agricultural systems—upon which over 70% of Kenyan farmers rely—has become more apparent. Ivanus Kimot, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Irrigation, stated that expanding irrigation infrastructure is central to the government's long-term climate adaptation and sustainable food production strategy.
