Opportunities for Enhancing Water Storage, Irrigation, Drainage & Land Reclamation Development

Presentation by:

Prof. Eng. Bancy M. Mati PhDDirector, Water Research and Resource Center (WARREC)

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)

Presentation at the:

Kenya Water Week 2016Irrigation sub sector SESSIONS

Kenya International Convention Centre (KICC)25th November 2016

CONTENTS1. Historical overview of Irrigation & Drainage

development in Kenya

2. Challenged affecting the development of; water storage, irrigation, drainage and land reclamation

3. Opportunities for Water Storage, Irrigation, Drainage & Land Reclamation

4. Entry points for Water storage, Irrigation, Drainage and Land Reclamation

5. Way Forward

Prof. B.Mati

1. A historical background on Irrigation, Drainage and Land Reclamation development

Historical Overview of Irrigation & Drainage in Kenya

16th century – Evidence of of irrigation in Tana River, Kerio valley’s Marakwet escarpment, West Pokot and Baringo

19th century - Rice schemes were constructed by slaves along the river valleys around Kipini, Malindi, Shimoni and Vanga

19th century (1890s), - Asian workers started irrigation around Makinduand Kibwezi

1930s - Drainage works started in Central Kenya, around karatina1940s – Irrigation started around Karatina, Naivasha, Tavetta, and

shores of Lake Victoria using PoW1950s- African Land Development Unit (ALDEV) initiated state-owned

irrigation schemes, i.e. Mwea, Hola, Perkerra, Ishiara and Yatta using Mau Mau detainees

1963- Kenya had developed a total of 2,500 ha of irrigation

Prof. B.Mati

Historical background of irrigation in Kenya contd..

1965 – Irrigation Act (cap 347) was enacted & creation of NIB1965 – 1980: Govt expanded the existing schemes and developed new

ones in the Lower Tana, Yala, Kano and Bunyala areas1978-83 Development Plan shifted the emphasis from public irrigation

schemes to small-scale farmer-managed irrigation1985 - there were around 52,000 ha equipped for irrigation1990s - Export of horticulture became a major export 2003 – Irrigation Department was shifted to Ministry of Water2007 – Vision 2030 brought more visibility to water storage an

irrigation2013 –Irrigation Department moved to Ministry of Agriculture2015 – Irrigation Department returned to MWI

Prof. B.Mati

2. Challenges Facing Irrigation, Drainage, Waters Storage & Land Reclamation

Challenges facing irrigation development• Shrinking land space for crop and livestock production• Frequent drought leading to rapid depletion of some of the water

resources, with a devastating impact on rainfed agriculture• Water scarcity, scattered ephemeral surface water resources• Poorly developed groundwater (only 5% of groundwater in Kenya is

mapped)• Conflicts over water resources, particularly in the ASAL areas, • Inefficient irrigation technologies (70% is surface irrigation) • About 24 million ha of saline & sodic soils, of which 40% are in ASALs.• Expensive costs of capital/credit (interest rates are too high)• Weak farmer organizations, including water user associations• Poor post-harvest handling, storage and processing facilities• Poorly organized markets, marketing infrastructure and low prices• Poor road infrastructure to potentially irrigable ASAL areas, limiting

both operational and input/output market access. Prof. B.Mati -

Kenya is NOT a Water Scarce Country

Prof. B. Mati

• Kenya is NOT Water Scarce – It is failure to use Research & STI

• The water resources are poorly distributed and mostly unmapped (e.g. groundwater, ephemeral streams areas are un-gauged).

• Per capita water availability = (Total fresh water/total population)

-It was 647 m3 in 2000, dropped to 502 m3 in 2012 and will be 235 m3 by 2025.

• But per capita storage is 102 m3/year (NWMP-2030) - compare with 4,729 m3 for Australia

• Mt. Kenya had 18 glaciers in 1900 but now it has only 7.

• Serious droughts since 1970s and effects of climate change

Per Capita Water Availability in Kenya (1969-2010)

Source: Ministry of Water and Irrigation

Kenya is getting warmer: Climate Change is here! Sure can• Within Kenya, climate change is

already being experienced, • Mean annual temperatures have

risen by 1°C over the past 50 years • A rise in temperature of 1.0-2.5oC is

expected by 2030 • Many areas in Kenya have longer dry

spells and heavier storms • From 7 droughts in 1980-1990

increased to 10 droughts (1991-2003)

• Between 200-2006, there were 60 weather related disasters

• Since the 1970s, serious droughts have occurred e.g. in 1972, 1974/75, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983/84, 1991/92, 1995/96, 1999/2000, 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2010/2011 (drought every 2 years)

Floods could be converted into an opportunity

Flooding in Nairobi South C

Flush floods in Narok town (30th April 2015)

• Flooding occurs in the same areas prone to droughts

• Flood occurrence is expected yet nothing is done as mitigation.

• Loss of life and property each year• Flood management with innovative

engineering infrastructure & catchment protection

• Flood control – an intervention for reduction of pollution – its do-able

Bundalangi floods– NIB offices submerged in 2011

Urban Stormwater = Wastewater in Kenya (wasted!)

• Rising urbanization in Kenya • Water demand is increasing

at a higher rate.• Built up areas contributing

more storm-water• Most storm-water is

polluted with wastewater • The scant data on storm-

water generation, use • Most storm-water is mixed

with Sewerage (goes to Ruai)

Prof. B.Mati

Infrastructure failures = Design failures = STI gaps

Examples• Breach of embankments• Dams/pans silt too soon• Pollution of water storages• Dry boreholes• Seepage problems• Water deficits/inadequate design

Issues to tackle in addressing

irrigation, drainage &

water storage

Declining water

availability/ increasing demand Inefficient

technologies and practices

Policy enforcement disconnect

Declining soil health

and pollution of water

resources

Poor linkages with markets

Capacity of sector across

the value chain

Extension services for irrigation &

drainage

Smallholder agriculture in

transition

Climate change, floods and droughts

Costs of Irrigation Equipment are High

Source: FAO, 2015, Kenya Irrigation Market brief

Irrigation Equipment Cost (USD/ha) in 2014

Centre Pivot (for 40 ha span) 2,500 – 3,000

Pressure compensated drip line irrigation (Hydrophonics) 7,750

Solar pump 2,000 – 10,000

Drilling a borehole USD112/m where water table is at 150

Drilling a borehole USD168/m where water table is at 200

Kenya imports of most irrigation equipment

• Kenya’s imports of irrigation material have been growing in the last years, reaching USD 74 million in 2011

• The dominant equipment categories are gate valves centre pivots, centrifugal pumps. Commercial farms account for most of the centre pivot imports

• Kenya also exports equipment produced in the country, such as HDPE, PVE, and PPE pipes

3. Opportunities in Irrigation, Drainage, Waters Storage & Land Reclamation Development

• Kenya has 42.1 billion cu.m of renewable surface water resources,

• Average annual runoff is 26.7 billion cu.m

• 21.5 billion cu.m of safe ground water (54% is in shared basins)

• Average annual rainfall: 679 mm/yr• High rainfall variability ranging from

250 mm/year in Garissa to over 2,000 mm on Mt. Kenya

• Water demand is 3.2 billion cu.m .• Only about 30% of the population

have piped water (2009)

Kenya’s Water Resources Endowments

Opportunities for upscaling Irrigation, Drainage & water storage

• Availability of irrigable areas endowed with adequate infrastructure, and proximity to input and output markets

• Domestic and regional market deficits in many food products• Less than 50 percent of irrigation potential currently

developed• Availability of local agricultural lending banks, cooperatives,

and micro-credit institution• Good experience in high-value irrigated agriculture by the

existing private commercial-farms• Favorable climatic conditions, with a potential for high-tech

efficient irrigation, when water is available• The horticulture industry is driven by irrigation and is the

most dynamic export earner in Kenya

Develop the Untapped Irrigation Potential

• Total area under agriculture in Kenya - 2.9 million ha,

• But only 141,900 ha are irrigated (4% of total) cultivated land and about 17% of the irrigation potential.

• Irrigated agriculture contributes about 3% of the GDP and 18% of the value of all agricultural produce,

• This demonstrates the huge potential in irrigated agriculture for increasing agricultural production and productivity.

• Irrigated agriculture is carried out mainly in irrigation schemes for high value crops such as rice, coffee, horticulture

Prof. B.Mati -

Water storage is needed to meet Irrigation Targets under Vision 2030

• The potential for irrigation in Kenya is 539,500 ha with surface flows (but another 9.2 million ha can be irrigated using water storage). This underpins the huge potential for water storage

• Kenya Vision 2030 has set a national goal of increasing the new irrigation area to 1.2 million ha in 2030 and 1.3 million ha in 2050

• This means an average of 40,000 ha/year (expansion of 32,000 ha and rehabilitation of 8,000 ha/yr)

• The annual total irrigation water demand for future irrigation area of 765,575 ha in 2030 was estimated at 8,063 MCM/year,

• Overall average unit water demand of 94,949 m3/ha/year, (NWMP-2030)

Prof. B.Mati

Future Irrigation Water Demands in 2030

Source: National Water Master Plan-2030

Type of Irrigation LVNCA LVSCA RVCA ACA TCA ENNCA Total

New Irrigation Area- Weir 749 183 110 40 37 31 1,150- Large Dam 535 732 1,101 311 1,767 302 4,748Groundwater Irrigation –Borehole

27 51 16 35 151 107 395

Water Harvesting Irrigation- Small Dam/Water Pan 30 37 23 33 46 7 176

Sub-total 1,341 1,003 1,250 419 2,001 447 6,461Existing Irrigation Area 18 155 143 498 696 92 1,602Total 1,359 1,158 1,393 917 2,697 539 8,063

Projected evolution of irrigation capacity by 2030

Prof. B.Mati

Source: National Water Master Plan-2030

4. Entry points for Water storage, Irrigation, Drainage and Land Reclamation

Improving water storage by constructing dams

Dams are needed to store water for:• Urban and rural water supplies • Irrigation• Generation of electricity • Strategic water reserves• Drought mitigation• Flood control

Water Harvesting with storage in tanks, cisterns, ponds

Runoff harvesting with plastic-lined pan

A lined underground tank with silt trap & net coveringHousehold water harvesting with surface tank

Unlined pond for road-runoff harvesting

27Lined canals to reduce seepage losses

Reducing losses in water conveyance infrastructure

Conversion from canals to piped water systems

• Even surface irrigation can be improved to be more efficient

• Shift from surface methods to sprinkler and to drip irrigation

• Greenhouse farming saves most water

• Control of water losses e.g. By using piped or lined canal systems

• Hydrophonics and aerophonics–

Improving Efficiency of Irrigation Water Application

Drip irrigation t is 60 times more efficient than surface irrigation

High value crop with innovative drip irrigation

Surface irrigation can be made more efficient

Use irrigation methods with high efficiencies

Centre Pivot Irrigation – going large scale

Micro-sprinkler irrigation- scope for Kenya Greenhouse farming, Kenya – very efficient on water use

How much water is used in irrigating crops

Innovative Technologies e.g. System of Rice Intensifications (SRI)

Weeding SRI paddy with rotary weederWomen weeding conventional rice paddy

SRI wetting & drying paddy fieldConventional fully flooded paddy

Under SRI, Rice Yields have Increased, water savedKey findings – based on farmer s’ data from Mwea, Kenya

26-Nov-16 1. 31

Conventional paddy1. Basmati yields : 4 – 5 t/ha

(Mwea)2. BW rice yields : 7 - 10 t/ha3. A bag of paddy weighs 80-90 kg4. Water to grow 1 kg of rice: 3,000-

5,000 litres5. Grain easily breaks during milling6. Flooded paddies suffer lodging

from windy storms7. Weeding flooded paddies is done

by women8. Lower return on investment

SRI Rice1. Basmati yields : 7 – 10 t/ha2. BW rice yields: 11 - 20 t/ha3. Bag of paddy weighs 100-110 kg4. Harder, not easily broken on

milling5. Uses 25-33% less water6. SRI has strong stems that resist

damage from windy storms7. Wedding can be by men or

women8. Higher returns (30-50% increase

in net income)

Total area 684 km2

Population 3.6m (in 2009)Population living in informal settlements 40%

population with safe adequate water 65%

Water demand 690,000 m3/day Water supply 525,000 m3/day

Water deficit 165,000 m3/day

Non-revenue water losses 40%Mean Annual rainfall 1,062 mmPotential for RWH (assuming 30% capture) 596,485 m3/day

Current RWH Very low

Urban Stormwater harvesting could provide water for irrigation Example of missed opportunity for Nairobi

Thus, Nairobi could meet 86% of its water demand from RWH, if 30% of rainfall were harnessed!(Calculations by B. Mati)

Watershed Protection activities for sustainability of water sources

Photo by B. Mati

• Conservation of existing forest cover

• Tree planting on catchment areas

• Road runoff harvesting• Agroforestry• Terracing sloping lands• Vegetative buffers• Irrigation and drainage

LAND RECLAMATION

• Land reclamation is the process of creating new land from ocean, riverbeds, or lake beds, wetlands

• Land reclamation is also the process of restoring damaged and/or scarified land e.g. quarries, mines, through drainage or irrigation. It also refers to the restoration of land that is damaged by natural phenomena, such as erosion, or impaired by industrial and urban processes.

• The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or landfill. It affects small areas, but can have damaging effects

• Areas in Kenya where land reclamation has occurred include: Haller Park in Mombasa, and the old Clay Works in Nairobi

Prof. B.Mati

5. Policy and institutional reforms needed to upscale Water storage, Irrigation, Drainage and Land Reclamation development

Interaction of laws, policies & institutions

Complexity of existing polices & institutional arrangements

Laws and Legislations with bearing on Irrigation, water storage & land reclamation

Kenya has instituted a number of legal instruments; laws, statutes, policies, regulations, and strategies to safeguard her natural resources. Some of the main ones include among others: • The Constitution of Kenya,2010;• The Forest 2012;• The Water Act, 2016 (but it does not mention irrigation)• The Water Resources Management Rules, 2007, Legal Notice No.171;• Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Authority Act (AFFA) - No. 13 of 2013:• The Government Lands Act (Cap280), 1970, Revised 1984;• The Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act (EMCA No.8 of

1999);• The Irrigation Act (cap 347) of 1965• The Registered Land Act (Cap 300).• The Lakes and Rivers Act (Cap 409), 1962, Revised 1983; and• The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research (KALRO) Act No. 17 of 2013

Policies and Strategies • Kenya Vision 2030• National Environment Policy, 2013• National Climate Change Response Strategy, 2010• National Land Policy (2009)• National Agricultural Sector Extension Policy, 2012• Flood Mitigation Strategy, 2009• The National Water Services Strategy (2007- 2015)• Kenya Green Economy Strategy and Implementation Plan• National Climate Change Response Strategy, 2010• National Policy for Northern Kenya and other Arid Lands• Agricultural Sector Development Strategy (ASDS).See full list

WAY FORWARD

Way Forward• Ensuring sustainability of

infrastructure/projects• Engineering designs that adhere

to best practice• Work with qualified professionals• Community participation and use

of local knowledge• Use of simple (not cheap)

technologies• Engage policy level support• Private sector involvement• Poverty targeting for impact• Adopting IWRM in development

of water & land resources

Way Forward –There is work to do• The Water Act 2016 is now law - but it does not mention

Irrigation nor land reclamation (review it!)• Devolution of agriculture to the Counties – means that irrigation

and drainage is a county function - support counties• Taking advantage of the policy push by Vision 2030 which has

given irrigation good visibility• New projects on water e.g. Kalalu-Galana Irrigation scheme,

Tana Grand Falls dam, construction of water pans can support development of the subsector

• Many universities now offer advanced degrees in the areas of water resources management, irrigation, thus capacity is growing.

For more information, contactb.mati@jkuat.ac.ke

http://www.jkuat.ac.ke/departments/warrec

THANK YOU