Sh150m set aside for irrigation to end famine

More than Sh150 million have been set aside for irrigation in Baringo on some 50,000 hectares of land as the county government embarks on a five-year plan to find a lasting solution to the perennial food shortage in the region.

To stop over-reliance on rain-fed agriculture, the county government will set up 12 new irrigation schemes and expand the existing ones, including Perkerra and Kiboi, Deputy Governor Mathew Tuitoek said.

COPE WITH WITH CALAMITIES

Mr Tuitoek, whose office is in charge of disaster management, said the county government had put in place measures to cope with calamities. In the 2014/15 Budget, Sh100 million had been allocated for disaster management, according to the Deputy Governor.

Further, the county government had received Sh877 million from Japan International Corporation for provision of clean water in rural areas through the drilling of 70 bore holes, he said.

Mr Tuitoek said a joint disaster management committee with representatives from the National Disaster Management Authority, World Vision, World Food Programme and the Kenya Red Cross had been established.

Meanwhile, the county and national governments are working together to save hundreds of the region’s residents from hunger.

“As a short term measure, the central government has already provided us with Sh1 billion for the purchase of relief food to food deficit areas.

“We are supporting this by fuelling vehicles ferrying relief food. The county government is also supplying water to the hunger stricken residents by use of water boozers,” Mr Tuitoek said.

Part of the food will be distributed to schools to keep children in class.

Meanwhile, the Geothermal Development Company is set to roll out a project in the region for production of more than 200 megawatts of electricity by 2016.