Govt to spend Sh2bn set aside in irrigation projects in northern Kenya

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei. Some Sh100 million has been set aside to help 5,000 people from cattle rustling-prone areas in Baringo County go back home. PHOTO | ABDIMALIK HAJIR | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Kosgei said Kenya will also partner with Egypt and Ethiopia who have succeeded in utilising their land resources to do irrigation farming.
  • He said that in Mandera, the government will use River Dawa while in Wajir the work of drilling bore holes to be used for irrigation was ongoing.
  • The Cabinet secretary said that surveys done had shown that rice plantation can do well in the 500 acre piece of land.
  • He urged the residents to support the irrigation projects saying that they stood to benefit a lot from them when they succeed.

The government will spend Sh2 billion to initiate irrigation projects in the three counties of north-eastern Kenya, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Kosgei has announced.

Speaking Tuesday at Khone farm in Jarajara Location, Balambala Constituency in Garissa County while on an inspection tour of the Rahole irrigation project, Mr Kosgei said Kenya will also partner with Egypt and Ethiopia who have succeeded in utilising their land resources to do irrigation farming to ensure there is food security in the country especially in the northern region.

He said that plans were underway to make sure that irrigation farming is practiced in Mandera, Wajir and Garissa counties to ensure the effects of perennial drought in the region is reduced noting that that the partnership will also target the war-torn Somalia.

Mr Kosgei singled out the Rahole irrigation scheme where the digging of a canal is set to be completed in February and water from River Tana diverted to the farms saying that the scheme can be used for planting rice.

RICE PLANTATION

While expressing his satisfaction with the contractor's work, the Cabinet secretary said that surveys done had shown that rice plantation can do well in the 500 acre piece of land.

He said that in Mandera, the government will use River Dawa while in Wajir the work of drilling bore holes to be used for irrigation was ongoing.

"North-eastern Kenya has a great potential to be the country's food basket if we get our priorities right. We have to go the irrigation way like Israel because drought is a perennial problem in this region," said Mr Kosgei.

He challenged the residents to embrace mixed farming which includes keeping livestock and farming.

He said that part of the reason why the region has suffered was due overreliance on livestock farming which is normally negatively affected by drought.

He urged the residents to support the irrigation projects saying that they stood to benefit a lot from them when they succeed citing the example of the Rahole irrigation scheme from which over 4,000 families will benefit.