The government has unveiled a plan to tackle the infestation of rats and snails in irrigation canals, a growing challenge that has significantly affected farmers’ productivity.
While addressing stakeholders at the Mwea Irrigation Scheme on Monday, November 25, Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eric Mugaa outlined measures aimed at resolving the problem.
He noted that the pests have disrupted rice production in the region, lowering the quality and quantity of yields.
“During my visit here today, we have noted the challenges facing the Mwea Irrigation Scheme. There is a challenge of infestation by golden apple snails and rats in our irrigation schemes. This has affected crop production,” Mugaa stated.
To resolve the issue, Mugaa announced the formation of an interministerial task force in collaboration with Agriculture CS Andrew Karanja.
“We have decided to form an interministerial task force to handle this problem,” Mugaa explained. “I have also been in discussion with the area governor, Anne Waiguru. The task force will include the Water and Agriculture ministries and the Kirinyaga County government to ensure an all-inclusive approach that brings everyone on board.”
In the short term, Mugaa revealed plans to use biological methods to manage the pests while exploring long-term solutions.
“For now, we are looking at biological controls. We will introduce small fish, such as catfish, to address the snail infestation and set traps for the rats. However, rat traps are not sustainable in the long term because of the high population of rats,” he explained.
Mugaa acknowledged that the infestation is a new challenge for the Mwea Irrigation Scheme. He noted that the task force would study how other irrigation schemes have handled similar problems to adopt effective solutions.
“This issue is a recent occurrence. Once the task force is formally established, they will explore what other irrigation schemes have done to manage rats and snails and apply those strategies at Mwea,” he added.
Additionally, the CS reaffirmed the government’s commitment to increasing Mwea’s rice production and expanding the area under cultivation.
“Currently, the Mwea Irrigation Scheme produces approximately 150,000 metric tonnes of rice per season. The completion of Thiba Dam in 2023 has been a game changer, boosting the scheme’s water capacity. We have encouraged farmers to adopt double-season planting to double the output to 300,000 metric tonnes annually. Our government aims to achieve a national target of 900,000 metric tonnes,” Mugaa emphasized.
He also highlighted plans to increase the total acreage under production in the scheme to 35,000 acres, noting a current deficit of 5,000 acres.
“We are working to develop the Mutithi area, which covers 4,400 acres, bringing us closer to our target,” Mugaa concluded.
