Kiambere Project

TARDA has set aside approximately 12,500 acres (5000Ha) classified as arable land suitable for agricultural development situated on both sides of the Tana River adjacent to Kiambere Dam multipurpose reservoir in Embu and Kitui Counties, 200 Km from Nairobi. The said land is suitable for dry land and irrigation farming; particularly for the production of livestock, fodder, nutritional crops (beans, maize, green grams, sorghum, millet) and horticulture.

Project Deliverables:

Produce crop varieties such as Maiza, Green grams and sorghum in 5000Ha.
Create direct and indirect employment for 52,000 people
Stabilise the cost of food prices in the markets around the project area.
Revenue generation for the Authority.

Project Benefits:

Produce approx.300,000 bags of maize per year to contribute to food security as part of the Big Four Agenda.
Create 52,000 direct and indirect jobs per year.
Save the country from foreign exchange loss through imports.
Enhanced national peace building and national security due to cohesion.
Generation of revenue for the Authority.
Reduction of social inequalities between rural and urban communities.

Project Challenges:

The main challenge is lack of water delivery system from the intake to the farm and irrigation infrastructure.
Cost element: The cost estimated cost of delivering water to the farm is Kshs.100 million.