Kenya is moving closer to securing KSh32.5 billion in World Bank financing to expand irrigation, strengthen farmer participation in water management and improve agricultural production across the country.The proposed funding, equivalent to US$250 million, will support the Kenya Resilient Irrigation for a Sustainable Economy (K-RISE) programme. An additional US$2 million grant, estimated at approximately KSh259.9 million, is also being negotiated to support implementation.
Agriculture Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho announced the progress following a consultative meeting in Nairobi on November 11, 2026, with a World Bank delegation led by Saroj Kumar Jha, the bank’s Director of Global Water Practice.
The discussions focused on finalising the financing arrangements and the steps required before the programmes move into implementation. K-RISE is expected to change how irrigation projects are developed and managed in Kenya by shifting from fragmented, infrastructure-led interventions towards a coordinated approach that places greater emphasis on institutional reforms and farmer involvement.
Under the proposed model, farmers are expected to play a bigger role in identifying, developing and managing irrigation schemes. The programme will also explore new financing mechanisms and the use of technology to improve access to irrigation services, strengthen project management and support more reliable water supplies. The initiative is intended to help farmers increase production, expand cultivated areas and build resilience against increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns.
During the engagement, the World Bank also recognised Kenya’s National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan as an important reference for irrigation development, with potential lessons for other countries seeking to expand water-based agriculture. The plan promotes a development model built around farmer-led initiatives, strategic public investment and greater private sector participation.
Beyond financing irrigation infrastructure, the government and the World Bank discussed the proposed establishment of a National Irrigation Informatics Centre. The facility would strengthen the collection and use of irrigation data to guide planning, investment prioritisation, water management and performance monitoring.
The proposed partnership comes as Kenya seeks to reduce its dependence on rain-fed agriculture and unlock the potential of irrigation to improve food production and rural livelihoods. If finalised, the K-RISE financing would provide significant support towards expanding irrigation access and strengthening the institutions responsible for delivering and managing irrigation services.