Heavy rains have caused extensive damage of canals that supply water to the Mwea Irrigation Scheme, and is also likely to cause delay in planting of the crop. This is after the main canal from Nyamindi River, which supplies water to the larger section of the scheme. The planting season, which was supposed to start next month, is, therefore, likely to delay because farmers cannot prepare land without water. Peter Karanja, a farmer from Karaba, said all the fields were lying fallow because land preparation was done using rotavators, which only work in flooded fields. “Had there been water to flood the fields in April, we would have now been through with rotavation to give way for seedbed preparations next month and then start transplanting the seedlings in July.