The 16.4bn/- Membe Irrigation Project in Dodoma Region is now more than 90% complete, positioning it to significantly enhance agricultural production and protect vital national infrastructure, including the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

During a visit by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industries, Trade, Agriculture and Livestock, Raymond Mndolwa, Director General of the National Irrigation Commission (NIRC), highlighted the critical role the Membe Irrigation Dam will play in benefiting farmers and safeguarding national assets.

“We have all witnessed the devastating effects of floods in areas like Kilosa every year. The dam’s construction will help regulate water flow, minimizing risks to our modern railway line,” Mndolwa explained.

The project will provide irrigation for 2,500 hectares, benefiting more than 1,500 people, and is part of a broader government initiative involving 22 strategic irrigation projects aimed at boosting agricultural productivity nationwide.

With a storage capacity of 12 billion litres, the Membe Dam is in line with President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s vision of transforming agriculture into a commercial, reliable sector by ensuring every region has access to irrigation schemes and borehole drilling.