Ruto says High Grand Falls Dam to turn Northern Kenya into food basket

The proposed Sh337 billion High Grand Falls mega dam along the River Tana will transform Garissa and other arid areas into productive agricultural areas with the potential to turn the region into the country’s food basket.

Unveiling the ambitious plans, President William Ruto said through irrigation, the dam will transform underutilized land in northern and coastal regions into agricultural zones, ending perennial food shortages witnessed in the region and other parts of the country.

Unveiling the plans in Masalani, Ijara constituency in Garissa county on Saturday, November 29, 2025, the President said the dam is part of the government’s strategies to sustain long-term food security and spur economic growth.

Billed as the largest irrigation project in the country, President Ruto said 1.5 million acres will be earmarked for irrigation in northern Kenya and the Coast region.

"The Coast region and northern Kenya will be our next breadbasket. We will invest heavily in both crop and livestock production for domestic use and export," he said.

"With mega dams harvesting enough rainwater and irrigating large tracts of land along the Tana River in ASAL regions, Kenya will produce sufficient food for both domestic consumption and export," he added.

The High Grand Falls Dam will be built along the Tana River in Tharaka-Nithi and Kitui counties, supplying water to Garissa and supporting irrigation in neighbouring counties.

Designed to hold an estimated 5.6 billion cubic meters of water, the multipurpose project aims to supply water for irrigation and domestic use and generate up to 700 megawatts of hydroelectric power.

The dam is expected to boost economic activity at the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor through improved agriculture and livestock management enabled by consistent water supply.

On infrastructure development, the President assured that the 750-kilometre Isiolo–Mandera Road, the largest road project in the history of the country, will also be completed within the current administration. In addition, tarmacking of the 410-kilometre Lamu–Ijara–Garissa–Garbatula Road is on course and is now 50 percent complete.

President Ruto gave an assurance to residents that North Eastern will not be left behind in national development, reaffirming his commitment to equitable development and ending the marginalization that has characterized northern Kenya. "I want to assure the people of northern Kenya that no part of this country will be left behind. From roads and electricity to markets and affordable housing, development will reach every corner," he said.

Speaking at the wedding of the son of Noordin Muhammad Haji, the country’s intelligence chief, the head of state also announced plans to establish the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) — Ijara Campus to train more nurses, clinical officers, and other professionals needed for the rollout of universal health coverage.

In addition, he promised to upgrade Masalani Level 2 Hospital to a Level 5 facility, strengthening healthcare delivery in the region. He also launched the 376-unit Masalani Affordable Housing Project.

During his tour of Garissa, President Ruto officially opened a new modern school block at Yusuf Haji Girls Secondary School in Masalani and laid the foundation stone for the Phase II block, which will include a modern dining hall. The president also handed over a new school bus to the institution.

Speaking at the event, Health CS Aden Duale praised the President for improving access to identification documents in the region, saying successive administrations since independence had marginalized communities in the North.