Thiba dam filling to take eight days

An annual double rice production at the Mwea irrigation scheme is a step away from being achieved after the government started filling the Thiba dam.

The exercise started on Tuesday and will continue for the next five to eight days.

River Thiba which is one of the main rice feeder rivers will not flow downstream to the farms but will be used to fill the dam.

Farmers will temporarily source water from nearby rivers Rutui and Kiringa.

National Irrigation Authority chief executive officer Gitonga Mugambi said the Sh8 billion facility has been a core priority to the national government due to its effect on food security.

He said rice production will rise by nearly two folds from the current annual production of 140,000 metric tons.

The Mwea irrigation scheme will be the greatest contributor to rice production.

The dam will achieve an additional 10,000 acres that will be put under rice cultivation up from the current 25,000 acres whose annual rice production stands at 114,000 metric tons.

Despite its completion, Mugambi said the country will continue importing rice to meet the high demand.

Currently, he said the local consumption stands at 690,000 metric tons per year against a potential local production of 240,000 metric tons.   

“The exercise marks a great milestone in the history of the dam and rice production of the country, Mugambi said on Tuesday.

“We are proud to be associated with this project which we have pulled through due to consultative efforts between the national government, Japanese government and the community.”

Mugambi said he is positive the dam will help solve the perennial water challenge.

He urged farmers and the community to wisely manage the water at their disposal despite having a reservoir.

Last month, NIA the head of the infrastructure department Charles Muasya said within one season, the dam will fill with an estimated 15 million cubic meters of water.

That will come from an estimated 184 million cubic meters of water that flows through river Thiba annually.

One of the key stakeholders and financiers Japan International Cooperation Agency said the project will revolutionise local rice farming.

Its representative Ndede Elizaphan thanked all the stakeholders for their cooperation.

Elizaphan said the firm hopes the country will be self-sufficient in rice production.

“Currently, Kenya produces a low of 17 per cent of rice. This is poor compared to neighbouring countries like Tanzania,” he said.

“My organisation will continue working together with NIA on many other life transformative projects.”

Morris Mutugi, the chairman in charge of the distribution of water across the Mwea Irrigation scheme thanked the state for its concern for the rice farmers.

He said farmers will not produce low-quality rice as the water issue had been resolved.

Mutugi said the dam will help achieve economic transformation due to an increased rice production season.

He said currently, Sh9 billion in revenue is generated but with the dam, it will increase to Sh18 billion.   

Kirinyaga East deputy county commissioner James Wanyoike called on the farmers to take advantage of the project to better their farming.

He called on NIA to put in place safety measures to tighten security.

Wanyoike said they will continue sensitising the residents to keep off the dam due to possible risks involved.

Edited by Kiilu Damaris