Background
Bura Irrigation Development Project is one of the Authority’s major project geared towards increasing the acreage under irrigation in Tana River County. The Project is located on the West bank of Tana River, Tana River County. The main objective of the project is to convert Bura Irrigation and Settlement Scheme from pumped system to gravity fed system. This is expected to enhance food and nutrition security thereby improving the livelihoods of communities settled in within the project and beyond.
Bura Irrigation and Settlement Scheme has a gazetted area of 176,000 acres, 12,000 acres of which have been developed. Currently, approximately 6,000 acres are under production with rice and maize being the main crops. Once complete, the project will increase the area under irrigation in the scheme by 20,000 acres. This acreage will be increased progressively to 40,000acres and eventually to the full potential.
The Government of Kenya (GoK) is financing 70% of the project cost while 30% is financed by Arab partners comprising of Kuwait Fund for International Development, Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) and OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID).
The implementation of Bura Irrigation Development Project has enabled Bura Irrigation and Settlement Scheme transition from pump-fed irrigation system which was characterized by many drawbacks such as high cost of pumping which increased the rates of Operation and Maintenance costs for the farmers. The system was also prone to breakdowns affecting the cropping patterns of the scheme. In addition, the system was prone to risks and uncertainties and therefore pauses expansion challenges due to inadequate water supply resulting from high pumping costs.
Bura Irrigation Development Project is being implemented in two lots: 1 and 2. Lot 1 entails sheet piling and associated Korakora intake works. The project components include; submerge weir, diversion canal, head regulator, and silting basin. All the key components of the projects are complete and in use.
Lot 2 on the other hand entails construction of new main canal and associated civil works from Korakora to Nanighi. The project components include canal excavation and lining, construction of service road, construction of dykes, and construction of associated structures. All the key components of the project are complete in use with the contractor finalizing on a few final touches in line with the project contract.
- Enhance food and nutrition security (76,000MT of rice per year and 45,000MT bags of maize per year).
- Boost the economy from Kshs 1.5 billion per year to Kshs 6.5 billion per year.
- Increase employment from 30,000 to 150,000 jobs.
- Promote industrialization (cotton, sunflower, soya beans and cereals processing)
- Save the pumping cost of Kshs 120 million per year.
- Enable crop production intensification
- Increase the number of project beneficiaries from 2,500 households to 10,000 households.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Location | Tana river County |
| Year of establishment | 1978 |
| Gazetted area | 176,000 Acres |
| Area installed with irrigation infrastructure | 12,000 acres (10,063 Acres Main scheme and 2000 agro forest area) |
| Current beneficiaries | 2,245 |
| Settlement of farmers | Settled in 11 villages |
| Land allocated per farmer | 3 acres for main crop production and 0.125 acres for vegetable garden ”Maendeleo plot” |
| Area actively utilized | 6,000 Acres |
| Land Tenure | Tenancy system |
| Source of Water | River Tana |
| Method of water abstraction | Gravity |
| Type of irrigation method | Surface(furrow)Irrigation |
| Main crops grown | Rice and Maize |
| Other Crops | Cotton, watermelon, green grams, onions and Pasture |
| Farmers organizations | IWUA, Co-operative society, Revolving Fund (CBO), Scheme management committee and Dispute resolution committee. |
| Distribution of scheme developed area (Acres)Per Command |
|
Scope of the Project
The scheme design is based on water conveyance by gravity with surface irrigation method being applied in order to reduce costs besides being easy to use. The project will be implemented in three phases. The scope of the project consists of; sheet piling and associated Korakora Intake works, completion of new main canal, its hydraulic structures and associated civil works and finally Rehabilitation of existing irrigation infrastructures.
