100 acres: Ruiru prison farm set for KSh 73m irrigation project

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- Irrigation PS Ephantus Kimotho Kimani inspected the KSh 73 million Ruiru Prison Farm project targeting coffee, horticulture and tree seedling production

- The project will place 100 acres under coffee and establish a nursery capable of producing about 18 million tree seedlings annually

- More than 300 inmates are expected to gain practical agribusiness skills, while the wider project targets over 10,000 beneficiaries

Principal Secretary for Irrigation Ephantus Kimotho on Friday, August 21, inspected the Ruiru Prison Farm Irrigation Project in Kiambu County, a flagship initiative aimed at boosting agricultural production and supporting inmate rehabilitation.

The project is being implemented jointly by the State Department for Irrigation and the Kenya Prisons Service as part of efforts to expand irrigation, strengthen climate resilience and promote year-round agricultural production.

With a contract value of KSh 73 million, the project is expected to be completed and paid for in less than a year, according to the State Department for Irrigation.

The initiative will place 100 acres under coffee production across Blocks A, B and C, alongside horticulture and tree seedling production.

Once fully operational, the coffee enterprise is projected to generate more than KSh 20 million, creating an additional revenue stream from the prison farm.

What will Ruiru Prison farm produce?

A major component of the project is a tree nursery with an annual production capacity of approximately 18 million seedlings.

The nursery will support the government's 15 Billion Tree Growing Programme, with the seedlings estimated to have an annual value exceeding KSh 75 million.

More than 20 acres will also be dedicated to horticultural production, with the farm expected to supply fresh produce to prisons across Nairobi.

The combination of coffee, horticulture and tree seedling production is intended to create a diversified agricultural enterprise while supporting environmental conservation and institutional food security.

The irrigation system comprises intake desilting works, two boreholes, two hybrid water pumping units, water storage facilities, an in-field distribution network and sprinkler systems.

How will Ruiru Prison inmates benefit from the project?

Beyond agricultural production, the project is expected to provide practical agribusiness and farming skills to more than 300 inmates.

The government says exposure to climate-resilient farming will equip inmates with practical knowledge they can use to establish livelihoods after completing their sentences.

The project is also expected to benefit more than 10,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries and serve as a model for similar partnerships between the State Department for Irrigation and other government institutions.

Significant progress has already been recorded, with intake desilting, drilling of the two boreholes, installation of the hybrid pumping units and establishment of water storage facilities all reported to be 100% complete.

The in-field irrigation distribution network and sprinkler system is currently 80% complete, with remaining works including installation of sprinklers in two blocks and extending irrigation infrastructure to the Greening Kenya section.

The project is designed to reduce reliance on rainfall while promoting productive use of agricultural land, food security, environmental restoration and economic empowerment.

Kimotho was hosted during the inspection by Resident Engineer Agnes Agong and Director of Prison Farms Patrick Kariri, alongside other senior government officials.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.