Posted on September, 13, 2016 at 10:01 am
By George Munene
Low rice production is looming in the country following an acute water shortage which has hit the giant Mwea Irrigation Scheme in Kirinyaga County.
Farmers have complained of inadequate water supply due to a prolonged dry spell.
Water levels in major rivers used to supply irrigation water to the scheme have gone down and farmers fear that there will be low rice harvests in the current season.
The Wamumu, Karaba and Mutithi sections where rice is grown in large scale are the most affected.
A spot check by the Nation established that the already planted rice in some areas has started withering due to lack of enough water for irrigation.
The farmers said unless it rains, water in Nyamindi and Thiba rivers, which are the main sources of irrigation water, rice production will be low.
SPEED UP DAM CONSTRUCTION
"Unless the short rains come early we shall surely suffer," one of the farmers, Mr Simon Njogu, said.
Mr Njogu said rice requires a lot of water for it to do well and called on the government to speed up the construction of the multi-billion Thiba water dam to mitigate water problems at the scheme.
"If this dam is constructed, water problems at the scheme will be history," said Mr Njogu.
The Scheme, believed to be the largest in East and Central Africa, produces 80 per cent of the rice consumed in Kenya.
According to the farmers, the water problems started in July.
"Water started reducing in rivers in June. At the moment many farmers are not getting sufficient water and their crop may dry up," said another farmer.
Source: Daily Nation