Erratic rains leave Buuri East farmers battling for survival

DICKSON MWITI-KNA

In the semi-arid plains of Buuri East Sub-County in Meru County, farming was long considered a gamble.

For years, residents such as Lucy Makena Kimathi struggled to coax crops from the dry soil, with their efforts often undermined by erratic rainfall and the harsh climate.

As she narrates to KNA, residents were earlier doing minimal farming due to a lack of enough rain, but when the National Irrigation Authority (NIA) ventured in the area, everything changed for the better.

The Kiirua-Buuri Water Project, launched under the stewardship of the NIA, has become a beacon of hope for farmers in the region.

Phase I of the project introduced irrigation to areas long neglected, allowing farmers to move beyond subsistence to commercial agriculture.

“We have seen changes in our lifestyles, especially those connected to Phase I of the project,” Ms Makena said, adding that the government should launch and implement the second phase so that more farmers can be covered. 

Another resident, Elijah Kiara, an onion and potato farmer from Nkando village echoes Makena’s sentiments, adding that when the project started in the area, it brought money into their pockets and they use it to empower themselves.

As an operations officer in the project, Kiara has witnessed the transformation firsthand.

“Earlier we were doing small-scale, but we have now expanded courtesy of the National Irrigation Authority,” Mr. Kiara said.

The project currently covers three wards—Kiirua/Naari, Kibirichia, and Ruiri Rwarera, bringing water to thousands of residents.

Mr. Zakayo Muthamia, a member of the Kiirua-Buuri Irrigation Project, notes that the project has attracted many members.

The impact is tangible with farmers now cultivating potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, garden peas, and green maize, with projected gross margins of about Sh285,000 per acre annually.

During a recent visit to the area, Water and Sanitation Cabinet Secretary Eric Mugaa announced the release of Sh100 million to expand the Kiirua-Buuri Project.

The funding, part of a broader Sh500 million plan, will extend irrigation to more than 3,000 residents across local villages.