Use of 'kickstart' pumps in Kenya boost small scale irrigation

Simple irrigation technologies    by Mwangi Mumero
Smallholder farmers across the country face serious problems during the dry season.
Relying heavily on rain-fed agriculture, these farmers must confine their farming to months when rain is available.
This pattern compromises food security - both for their families and their livestock.
“Availability of food especially vegetables is a challenge during the dry months of December to March ands around September. Prices for these foods skyrocket as little is being produced in our farms during these periods”, observed Onesmus Kariuki, a farmer from Githagara Village in Murang’a County during a recently held agribusiness exhibition at Ihura Stadium in Murang’a.
Like Kariuki, many farmers across the country  suffer from this scarcity- abundance farming cycle.
“Even forages for livestock become scarce during this period affecting milk production and earning power of the rural populace”, noted Mr. Kariuki, a retired veterinary officer and also a dairy farmer.
But now uptake of simple irrigation technologies by rural farmers in the country is helping avert the shortage of vegetables, fruits and livestock fodder for animals.
“Cheaper hand and leg operated pumps are the way to go for farmers with less than 5 acres. They require little technical skills and are low in maintenance costs”, said Mr. Japheth Waititu, Kickstart Regional Representative for Murang’a County as he explained to farmers the working of these irrigation technologies.
Kickstart is a non-profit organization that provides low-cost technologies to local entrepreneurs to establish profitable enterprises.
The manually operated pumps known as Moneymaker, have in the last couple of years transformed smallholder farming, and especially for horticulture crops such as cabbages, tomatoes and kales.
Smallholder irrigation technologies like Kickstart’s help to break the long dry spells and in turn reduce the food insecurity experienced in many parts of the African continent.
According to Mr. Waititu, there are two types of Money Maker pumps. The hand-operated, working more like a bicycle pump, retails at Ksh 6,300 ($ 74) and comes with a 10 metre hose pipe to connect to a sprinkler and another 7 metre pipe for taking water from the source such as well, dam or river.
The bigger pump-costing Ksh 11,990 ($ 140) is operated by legs and comes with the same sizes of hose pipes.  
Ridden like a bicycle, the pumps can draw water from wells 10-15 metres in depth. The pumps can push water to 200 metres of a flat ground and be able to operate 5 sprinklers.
“The smaller pump can irrigate 1.25 acres with the bigger one capable of supplying water within 2 acres. We train farmers on usage and maintenance of the simple pumps. Depending on usage, there is minimal maintenance cost and farmers are able to recoup their investment within the first 6 months”, added Mr. Waititu.
With these pumps, smallholder farmers can irrigate and sell high value crops throughout the year. Water for domestic use and for livestock can also be pumped and later treated in the homestead.
 One farmer who has benefitted immensely from these hand operated pumps in the last decade is retired teacher Wachira Njoori, a fruit farmer in Wangwaci Village of Sipili location in dry Laikipia County.
In the mid-90s, Njoori and other farmers in Sipili location in Laikipia district invested in a manually operated water pump which he has used to irrigate his three-acre orchard.
Drawing water from a neighbouring wetland using the pump, Wachira has grown a variety of fruits ranging from oranges, tangerines, paw paws, mangoes, fruit tomatoes, avocadoes, grape fruits and bananas.
 Having established the orchard over a decade ago, Wachira now sells 100 kg of fruit weekly. At a rate of Ksh 20 ($ 0.23) per kilogram, he has been making over Ksh 100,000 ($1,180) annually from fruits alone.
 “If anyone tells me to go back to class, I will protest as I am my own boss today and can support my retirement comfortably from fruit sales”, say the Wachira, a father of five fully grown and independent children.
 But the  pump has been able to support other enterprises on the farm. A progressive farmer, he has raised 100 layers and 150 broilers on the farm.
 With water being a scarce commodity in this area, the pump has been vital in drawing water for the chicken enterprise.
 “The pump has been a major boost for the chicken enterprise. Without it, water would have been difficult of obtain making the chicken enterprise difficult”, he noted.
 With 90 eggs laid on daily basis, he has been able to get a monthly income of Ksh18.900 ($222), at a price of Ksh 7 per egg.
 Jointly with other farmers, he has been supplying a Nyahururu based tourist hotel with broilers netting him an income of over Ksh 30,000 ($350).
But other farmers like Wachira have used the pumps to grow profitable fruits and support for the poultry enterprises.
Farmers can buy the pumps from local dealers with the prices ranging from Ksh 5000- 12,000 ($ 59-141) a piece.
“Maintenance cost of the pumps is minimal other than regular oiling and sometimes replacement of piston rubber cups”, notes Wachira.
Occasionally, hired labour is necessary for farmers whose land size is larger.
    So far Kickstart has operations in Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia,       Mozambique, Uganda and Mali.
With the uptake of these technologies across the East African region, Kickstart reports that 800 farmers take up the pumps every month. (ends)