Economic Impact of Weiwei Irrigation Project, West Pokot County-Kenya

Rural poverty remains a major source of concern for many developing countries. In Kenya regional development authorities such as the Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) have been put in place to improve the livelihoods of rural communities. This book is based on a study that addressed the socio-economic impact of the Wei Wei Irrigation Project (WWIP) run by the KVDA. The study set out to examine the performance of Wei Wei Irrigation Project (WWIP) in general and its performance in relation to improving the people's livelihoods; and to appraise the challenges attributed to the implementation of WWIP. WWIP has improved locals through offering inputs to farmers, training, water, and reclaiming land as appropriate measures of addressing the challenges the locals experience. Improved roads, better land use and provision of social amenities have led to improved living standards and creation of jobs for locals in the area. Based on the findings, though, the book recommends that a lot more needs to be done if the Development Authority has to bring about poverty eradication in the area and empower locals economically through irrigation and other initiatives within its mandate.