Improving Irrigation Water Efficiency and Functionality of Irrigation Schemes for Food Security in Water Deficit Counties
Application of ICT in supporting irrigation water use efficiency has not been adopted in Kenya despite its potential in addressing water scarcity. Sensor-based technologies have been applied in other parts of the world including Tanzania, Malawi, Australia and South Africa with impressive returns to investment in irrigation sub-sector. In addition, integrated research on soil parameters and water balance in drier parts of Kenya has the potential of increasing food security and nutrition and the share of irrigation value in the market. This collaborative research is therefore aimed at validating sensor-based irrigation TIMPS (Developed in Meru University of Science and Technology), soil and water productivity TIMPS (developed in KALRO) in three ASAL counties; Tharaka-Nithi, Kajiando and Machakos. Improved food productivity and farmers livelihoods will be major expected outcomes of successful project implementation.