Today, His Excellency Hon. William Ruto, PhD., C.G.H, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces commissioned Kiirua Buuri Irrigation Development Project in Buuri Constituency of Meru County.
He was accompanied by the Agriculture CS Hon. Mithika Linturi, Meru County Governor Hon. Bishop Kawira Mwangaza, Meru County Senator and Senate Deputy Speaker Hon. Kathuri Murungi, National Assembly Majority Leader and Kikuyu MP Hon. Kimani Ichungw’a, Area M.P Hon. Rindikiri M’Mugambi and other leaders from National Government and Meru County.
The Head of State was received by the State Department for Irrigation PS, Mr. Gitonga Mugambi, EBS, the Ag. CEO NIA, Eng. Charles Muasya and other officials from the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, County Government of Meru, and National Irrigation Authority alongside the host farmer Mr. Joseph Muwiri.
The President was pleased with the work done and encouraged farmers to continue putting their best foot forward in ensuring that the country is food secure in line with the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda(BETA).
Additionally, he committed to having an additional acreage developed for irrigation in the County by among other ventures constructing Mega dams to enhance irrigation water storage. Meru County is set to benefit from the targeted 100 dams planned to be implemented across the country.
Kiirua Buuri Irrigation Development Project, implemented by National Irrigation Authority(NIA) was completed in February 2023 and has put 2,000 acres under irrigation meant to benefit 3,700 farmers.
The project’s main components included the construction of the intake, sedimentation basin, and 178km water conveyance. The crops grown in the irrigation project are horticultural crops including onions, tomatoes, cabbages, garden peas, potatoes, carrots, and green maize. /p>