Irrigation plan to fight hunger in Baringo

Hunger in Baringo County could be a thing of the past if a plan to put 57,000 hectares of land under irrigation bears fruit.

The Geothermal Development Company (GDC) is implementing the project which is expected to end perennial lack of food for over 200,0000 residents.

The project is part of GDC’s plan to generate more than 3,000MW of electricity in the area.

The firm has identified Silale, Paka, Korossi/Chepchuk and areas around lakes Baringo and Bogoria as the potential zones for geothermal development.

GDC managing director Dr Silas Simiyu said the project is key to food security in the area.

He was speaking last week at Loruk, in Baringo after flagging off over 2,000 bags of maize which the energy firm donated to hunger-stricken residents in Tiaty and Baringo North.

Dr Simiyu said the electricity project would create about 1.7 million jobs.

“This will boost food security as it will lead to the establishment of a mega irrigation scheme which can reduce the over-dependence on rain-fed agriculture and support the development of tourist resorts.

This will create employment for 600,000,” said Dr Simiyu adding that the company would continue supporting community projects in the areas where its projects are located.

Revenue

Dr Simiyu said the company has set aside Sh300 billion to generate 800MW in the first phase of the project.

In the second phase, Sh600 billion will be spent.

He said GDC expects to generate about Sh11.5 billion annually from the initiative with 15 per cent of the revenue being channelled to communities within the resource-rich areas.

“The project, which will also see carbon credit valued at over Sh2.9 billion produced, will open Baringo County as an economic hub because the electricity generated will also benefit Turkana County where oil has already been discovered,” said Dr Simiyu.

Present during the event were Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, Tiaty MP Asman Kamama, Women Representative Grace Kiptui and County Assembly Speaker William Kamket.

Mr Cheboi said hunger in the county has been aggravated by rampant cases of insecurity which prevented residents from planting last season.

Mr Cheboi said the devolved government would set aside more than Sh150 million this financial year to put over 50,000 hectares of land under irrigation.

He said the county has received Sh877 million from Japan International Corporation to fund water projects. Under the deal, 70 boreholes will be drilled in the region.

Bleak future

Baringo County has been hit hard by drought with over Sh650 million needed in the next three months to feed 200,000 residents.

This is according to a recent assessment carried out in the area by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA).

The assessment paints a bleak future in the area where a mere 200,000 bags of maize is expected to be harvested this season down from 800,000 bags last season.

This translates to 70 per cent crop failure.

Baringo County consumes at least 1.2 million bags of maize every year.
NDMA national chairperson Agnes Ndetei said the government has put in place strategies to step up distribution of relief food in the county.

She said lactating mothers, the elderly and children would be given top priority.

“Culture is another issue which has aggravated the situation as herders have been moving to neighbouring counties in search of water and pasture for their livestock leaving behind the elderly putting them in danger of starvation,” said Ms Ndetei last week at Mondi Division District Officer’s in Tiaty Sub-County where the authority distributed relief food to the hunger stricken residents.