The NIA Board of Directors led by the Chairman Eng. Gibert Maluki was on a familiarisation trip of irrigation projects and schemes. They were accompanied by the NIA senior managers led by CEO Eng. Charles Muasya, MBS.
On March 4, 2024, they visited Thiba Dam, Mwea Irrigation Scheme and its expansion area. They later proceeded to Bura Irrigation Development Project and Bura Irrigation Scheme. They concluded by visiting Tana Irrigation Scheme on March 6, 2024.
During the visit, the Board paid a courtesy call to the Kirinyaga County Governor through the Deputy Governor H.E David Githanda where the Board agreed to jointly work with the County Government to support Mwea farmers to continue rice production.
While in Bura, the Board was happy with the progress of the gravity project and promised to fast track it to ensure its timely completion. In Tana, the Board paid a courtesy visit to the DCC Hola and held discussions on various issues including fertiliser distribution, creation of strong cooperatives, addressing encroachment of NIA land among others.
The team later proceeded to the Governor’s office for courtesy visit where discussions were held on areas of patnership including offering extension services to the farmers, capacity building and value addition.
The Tana River County Governor H.E Maj. (Rtd) Dr. Dhadho Gaddae Godhana committed to work with NIA and other stakeholders to ensure farmers are given adequate support to generate optimum benefits from their farming activities.
The Board field visit ended in Tana Irrigation Scheme where they met farmers representative’s from both Bura and Tana Irrigation Schemes and agreed on working together to progressively increase food production and fully utilise the installed infrastructure to increase household income and reduce importation as espoused in the Bottom Up Transformation Agenda (BeTA).