The Kenyan government, in collaboration with the Gates Foundation, has launched an ambitious 10-year plan to expand irrigation by one million acres.This initiative aims to boost food security, create jobs, and improve farmers' livelihoods across Kenya.

The plan was announced during a two-day forum hosted by the State Department for Irrigation and the Gates Foundation, bringing together national and county governments, development partners, financial institutions, researchers, private sector players, civil society organizations, and farmer groups.Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho emphasized that Kenya has the potential to irrigate over 3.35 million acres but currently only about 762,000 acres are under irrigation.Bridging this gap requires increased funding, stronger coordination, innovation, and sustained collaboration among stakeholders.The National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (NISIP) 2025-2035 is a key pillar of Kenya's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

Partners like the World Bank Group, IFC, IFAD, JICA, KfW, EBRD, Mastercard Foundation, Aga Khan Foundation, Shell Foundation, IKEA Foundation, and SNV are involved in this effort to transform Kenya's irrigation sector and enhance climate resilience.