Smallholder farmers in Karatu District are set to increase agricultural production after the government, through the National Irrigation Commission (NIRC), completed the drilling of irrigation wells designed to address persistent water shortages in one of the country’s key onion-producing areas.
Two wells completed in the Datoga area will provide water for 66.5 hectares of farmland, with farmers saying the project could help end prolonged waiting periods for irrigation water and allow them to produce more consistently.
Farmer Gilbert Makirija said farmers previously had to wait between 11 days and three weeks to access irrigation water, affecting their ability to plan and maintain production.
The new wells are being developed alongside distribution infrastructure and water storage tanks, giving farmers a more reliable supply directly to their fields.
The project is part of a wider government programme to drill 30 irrigation wells across Karatu District. The wells are being implemented in Baray, Chemchem, Mang’ola, Endamaghan, Daa and Rhotia wards.
According to NIRC Arusha regional manager, engineer Willium Kadinda, the wells will have depths ranging from 80 to 110 metres and are expected to produce between 30,000 and 45,000 litres of water per hour.
The project includes surveying, design work, installation of pumps, 10,000-litre storage tanks and water distribution systems.
Kadinda said the programme would also create employment opportunities, with six skilled young people specialising in plumbing expected to secure permanent jobs in each project area.
The intervention is particularly significant in Baray Ward, a major onion-producing area whose farmers supply domestic and export markets.
Baray Ward agricultural officer Jaffet Petro said water shortages had constrained agricultural production, despite the area having more than 5,600 hectares suitable for farming.
Only about 3,000 hectares had been under cultivation, leaving more than 2,600 hectares unused because of inadequate water supplies, he said.
The availability of reliable irrigation water is expected to bring some of the unused land into production, potentially increasing crop output and supporting household incomes.
Karatu District Commissioner Dr Lameck Karanga said the drilling programme had accelerated after farmers raised their concerns during a recent visit by the Minister for Agriculture.
He said 11 of the 30 planned wells had already been drilled in villages including Dumbechand, Jobaj, Mbuga Nyekundu and Laghangareri.
“This intervention is addressing a long-standing challenge for farmers who depend on irrigation to sustain production,” Dr Karanga said.
He urged farmers and local communities to protect the wells, pumps, tanks and distribution infrastructure to ensure that the investment delivers benefits over the long term.
For farmers such as Makirija, the immediate priority is reliable access to water, which could allow them to move away from unpredictable irrigation schedules and improve the consistency of production.
The government is funding the drilling programme in full through NIRC as part of efforts to expand irrigation and increase agricultural productivity.
With Karatu’s onion farmers already linked to domestic and export markets, improved access to water could also help expand the area under cultivation and strengthen the district’s role in commercial agriculture.