The objective of the program at the outcome level was an increase in the agricultural production. The overarching development objective (impact level) of the program was to improve the living conditions of rural households in the Mount Kenya program region.The program supported the transition from rainfed agriculture to irrigated agriculture with small and medium-sized perimeters in the east and south-eastern slopes of Mount Kenya. The program consists of four phases, three of which are concluded. This evaluation focuses on Phase III. The irrigatable agricultural production areas were increased by 561 hectares at the four irrigation schemes in Kirinyaga and Meru counties in Phase III. Before implementation, those farmer groups were organized in self-help groups and developed into cooperatives as a pre-requisite to become a bankable legal entity. In an innovative group lending approach, 50 % of the irrigation infrastructure cost was financed with grant funds and 50 % with a loan, both channelled through a Kenyan commercial bank. This approach familiarized farmers with financial literacy.
