Kenya gets Sh2.8b grant from Israel for Galana irrigation project

Kenya has received a grant of Sh2.8billion from the Israeli government to boost the one-million acre Galala Kulalu irrigation scheme.

Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa said the funds will be used to provide technical support in the form of consultancy, scholarships for training and foreign exchange programmes for staff.

“These programs will assist in equipping the staff at the ministry with the necessary skills and knowledge needed in executing their responsibilities,” said Mr Wamalwa.

The Cabinet Secretary is on a three day tour of Israel where he has so far met Israel Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Mr Uri Yrhuda Ariel Hacohen among other senior government officials.

“There is an urgent need to invest more in technical training and capacity development to provide skilled manpower to the sector. The number of graduates in the water and irrigation sector is very little,” added Mr Wamalwa.

The scholarships will be granted through Mashav, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Israeli government is expected to assist in construction of an agriculture training center in Kenya, the head of Mashav, Mr Illan Fluss, said.

The grant involves 50 annual scholarships for training in Israel for six consecutive years.

It will also provide for 50 yearly slots for Kenyan students for on the job training for 11 months combined with advanced agriculture classes and practical projects in Israel for 6 consecutive years.

Mr Wamalwa disclosed that the government will increase land under modern irrigation from the current 375,000acres to 1,375,000acres.

He said the government is looking into turning salty sea water from Indian Ocean through reverse osmosis into clean and safe drinking water.

“It will also reduce our dependence on building dams and harvesting rain water that takes longer time and cost more infrastructure development,” said the Cabinet Secretary.