Kenya has secured additional German funding to support the expansion of smallholder irrigation projects across seven counties following development cooperation negotiations between the two countries in Berlin.
The State Department for Irrigation said Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho advocated for increased support for smallholder irrigation development during the Government-to-Government Development Cooperation Negotiations between Kenya and Germany.
The talks, held in Berlin on June 25, were led by National Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo and Joachim Schmitt, Head of Division at Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
According to the State Department, discussions focused on irrigation, agriculture, food security, climate resilience, youth empowerment and agribusiness development.
During the negotiations, the German government committed €2 million in grant funding for community engagement and project preparation and a further €3 million for initiatives aimed at transforming food systems and improving food security through sustainable and climate-smart agricultural interventions.
The State Department said Kenya also negotiated an additional €20 million commitment to support the expansion of smallholder irrigation development across seven counties.
It said the commitment follows the implementation of the Smallholder Irrigation Programme in the Mount Kenya region.
According to the department, the two governments also explored opportunities to strengthen cooperation in youth-focused climate action and agribusiness programmes, particularly within the Lake Region Economic Bloc, while promoting private-sector participation in agricultural value chains.
The discussions also focused on integrated project designs intended to strengthen linkages between irrigation, agriculture and trade.
Kimotho cited the achievements of the Smallholder Irrigation Programme, saying five irrigation projects — Miuka, Kandeki, Gatene, Magatianthi and Kiramanti — have been completed, with two already handed over to farmers and operational.
The department said the projects cover about 1,300 acres, largely under high-value horticultural production, and benefit 1,540 farmers.
It further stated that annual farmer incomes are projected to increase from Sh12.4 million to Sh45.7 million as a result of the investments.
According to the State Department, the proposed German support is expected to strengthen market linkages across agricultural value chains, support investment planning involving county governments and private-sector actors, and promote commercially viable irrigation investments.
The negotiations, it said, reaffirmed the partnership between Kenya and Germany in supporting irrigation-led agricultural development, food security, job creation and resilient food systems.
