Bura Gravity Irrigation is a project in Tana River County, with the river Tana as its primary source. This a project that’s on an estimated area of 12,000 acres with about 10,000 under irrigation. Upon its completion, the project is expected to directly benefit about 2245 farmers.

CS Alice Wahome and the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation official recently visited the rehabilitation works, expressing satisfaction at the progress of the works. She encouraged the team to hasten the completion. The rehabilitation works are expected to be finished in November 2023.

A first of its kind in the country, the Bura Irrigation Scheme abstracts irrigation water from River Tana about 50 Km by pumping using diesel fueled generators and pump sets with a discharge capacity of 2.7m3 /sec. Once the irrigation water is lifted from the river, it flows by gravity through all the distribution system to the farms where farmers use siphons for applying in their fields. This will significantly lower operational costs.

On completion, this project will increase the areas of irrigation to 25,000 acres. The area’s current main cash crop is maize, with plans to add water melons, chickpeas, green grams and onions. Kenya Kwanza government and President Ruto’s Bottoms Up agenda is primarily built on developing the agricultural sector and this project is a significant addition to the aiding this goal. Increasing the country’s food production will be a possibility when the Bura Irrigation Scheme is completed.

The Deputy President who has been visiting many countries such as Dubai in search of new markets for the country’s agricultural produce, has ensured that Kenyan farmers will have a wider range of markets for their yields.

This irrigation scheme will reduce reliance on erratic rains and weather changes, shielding farmers form loses incurred when such calamities as unexpected drought bring to them. Low food production will be a problem of the past. The irrigation scheme will provide water for Kenya’s biggest staple food, providing a surplus which will in turn lower the cost of living.

The economic benefits of the Bura Irrigation Scheme will be felt by all Kenyans at all corners of the country. Programs such as the School Feeding Program the President recently launched in Murang’a County will some of the biggest beneficiary of the increased food production from Bura. This project will increase employment in Tana County inherently improving the livelihoods of numerous Kenyans in the region.