President William Ruto has hailed the signing of a Sh40 billion contract for the construction of the Galana-Kulalu Dam as a transformative breakthrough in Kenya’s push for food security and climate-resilient agriculture.
In a statement issued after the agreement was sealed in Nairobi, the President said the flagship project signals a decisive shift from unreliable rain-fed farming to sustainable, large-scale irrigation capable of powering agricultural production all year round.
The dam will anchor the Galana-Kulalu food security project, enabling irrigation of up to 300,000 acres of land spanning Tana River and Kilifi counties. According to project details, the facility will have a storage capacity of 305 million cubic metres of water and deliver an annual supply of one billion cubic metres to support farming and domestic use.
“The signing of the KSh40 billion contract for the construction of Galana-Kulalu Dam will strengthen our food security by irrigating up to 300,000 acres. This is a bold step in our transition from rain-fed farming to reliable, large-scale irrigation,” President Ruto said.
Beyond agriculture, the dam is expected to significantly improve livelihoods in the region by supplying safe drinking water to an estimated 70,000 households. Ruto noted that access to clean water will enhance public health and restore dignity for surrounding communities.
The agreement was signed between the National Irrigation Authority (NIA) and China Communications Construction Company Kenya Ltd, covering the engineering, construction and financing of the dam, alongside the development of an extensive irrigation water conveyance system.
Ruto said the investment will have far-reaching economic benefits, including boosting agricultural productivity, stabilizing food supply and easing pressure on household budgets. He added that improved irrigation will help lower food prices, reduce reliance on imports, expand exports and stimulate agro-processing and value addition industries.
“By strengthening agricultural productivity and food security, we will stabilise food prices, reduce imports, grow exports and expand agro-processing and value addition. This will create thousands of jobs for our young people and drive inclusive economic growth,” he said.
The Galana-Kulalu Dam is being implemented as a joint investment between the Governments of Kenya and the United Arab Emirates, in partnership with China Communications Construction Company Kenya Ltd. The Kenyan government’s share will be financed through the National Infrastructure Fund.
Ruto said returns on the investment will be realised through a Water Purchase Agreement framework already anchored in Kenya’s legal infrastructure, ensuring accountability and long-term sustainability of public funds.
The contract was formally signed by NIA Chief Executive Officer Charles Muasya and China Communications Construction Company Kenya Ltd Deputy General Manager Du Shan.
The dam project forms a critical pillar of the government’s long-term strategy to transform agriculture, enhance climate resilience and secure reliable water resources for both farming and domestic use, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions of the country.
Leave a Reply