Kenya shifts from rain-fed agriculture to stem food crisis

Irrigation schemes to help harvest an extra 14 million bags of maize per season

Kenya marked a major milestone when President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga launched a multi-billion-shilling initiative that is expected to end perennial food shortages in the country.

For the first time since independence, the government showed its seriousness to shift from rain-fed agriculture to irrigation that would in five years see more than one million hectares put under crop production.

The two leaders and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka on Monday oversaw the rehabilitation of the 2,500-hectare Hola Irrigation Scheme that collapsed 20 years ago.

Currently the country, which consumes 33 million bags of maize annually, faces serious shortage with the yields predicted to drop from targeted 27 million to 20 million bags due to poor rains this year.

Apart from Hola, three other irrigation schemes – Mwea, Ahero and Bura – are also to be expanded and revived under the government’s new grand plan.

If fully utilised, the irrigation schemes could help the country realise an extra 14 million bags of maize per season.

In total, 40,000 hectares are to be placed under irrigation this year before being increased to a million hectares in the long term.

The country’s over-reliance on rain-fed agriculture has resulted in millions of people facing famine year after year due to changing weather patterns.

The high costs of equipment and poor technology have in the past been blamed for failure by the government to fully embark on irrigation despite huge potential.

Examples have been given of countries like Egypt and Israel which, despite being in deserts, produce surplus food for export. Kenya had started well through the establishment of various irrigation schemes in the Kenyatta and early Moi regimes but they collapsed.

But hit by persistent famine, the Grand Coalition Government this year gave the revival of the projects priority by setting aside money in the Budget for their revival.

On Monday for instance, the government launched a Sh2 billion irrigation programme under the National Economic Stimulus Programme, intended to boost food production in the country.

It is expected that under the programme, more employment opportunities would be created in production, processing and marketing of produce from the irrigation schemes.

Agriculture minister William Ruto said during the re-launch of the Hola Irrigation Scheme that more than 900 farmers would benefit from the project.

Initially, the Nation has learnt, the farmers will be allocated two acres each after the scheme comes into full force. But with time, the acreage is likely to increase to three.

“The government will also provide the farmers with seeds and fertilisers – free of charge – to make the scheme a success,” said Mr Ruto.

The National Irrigation Board (NIB) and the National Youth Service personnel will, at the initial stage, assist farmers develop the scheme to its full potential.

“This is the launch of a new dawn of the future of food security in Kenya. We want to ensure that we produce enough food for Kenyans and have a surplus which will be sold to other countries,” said Mr Ruto.