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Perkerra Irrigation Scheme |
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History of the Scheme  | Senior Manager of Perkerra |
Perkerra Irrigation Scheme is situated 100kms North Nakuru near Marigat Township in Baringo District. It derived its name from the River Perkerra which is the source of irrigation water and the only permanent river in the District. - Farmers households 730 with the majority having 3 to 4 acres of farm land and 0.5 acre of village plot settlement
- Directly dependant population is approximately 13,000 people
- The scheme lies in a semi-arid climate condition with an annual average rainfall of 630mm. Soils are light silt to clay loam and are moderately alkaline with an average of 7.5 and little organic matter.
- The first crop of onions was planted in 1956
- Crops initially grown in the scheme -bulbed onions, dried chillies and watermelons, pawpaw’s
- In 1996, scheme farmers started planting seed maize crop abandoning the above crops due to marketing problems
- The scheme has a other neighbouring schemes; Eldume, Sandai, Kamoskoi, and Kapkuikui irrigation schemes which are community based and have their own sources of irrigation water.
Challenges facing the Scheme |  | - Irrigation water shortages. A significant portion of the developed scheme farmland has been abandoned due to water scarcity leading to poor crop performance
- Inadequate machinery; for example tipper, motor grader, concrete mixer
- Perkerra river bank erosion; the ever increasing meandering of the river just below Marigat bridge has adversely eroded the river banks thus threatening the scheme intake works and the fields.
- Inadequate staff capacity; the scheme relies on the services of casual staff in critical areas
- Weak farmer-based institutions
- Conflicts between pastoralists and irrigators; influenced by the erratic climatic conditions in and around the scheme, this has led to high operation and maintenance costs due to rampant canal destruction livestock.
- Conflicts between farmers and wildlife; Ostriches for instance often damage young crops
| | Bananas in the Perkerra scheme | | | | Proposed Interventions (Way Forward) |  | - Improving irrigation water availability
- Environmental conservation
- Capacity building of farmers
| | Maize plantation in Perkerra | |
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NIB Schemes & Stations 