A multi-billion water venture has been launched in Western Kenya to help tackle perennial floods in parts of the area and promote irrigation farming.
The Ksh7 billion (US$70 million) venture dubbed Lower Nzoia Irrigation Project will spread across 10,000 acres of land with a view of manufacturing enough meals to serve the whole area. 5,000 acres is anticipated to be beneath high value crops and the opposite 5,000 acres beneath rice and food crops to profit 12,000 households.
At least 34km of dykes shall be constructed besides River Nzoia to prevent it from bursting its banks and discharging water which might wreak havoc on farms and homes.
The project is projected to benefit a minimum of 60,000 individuals from two western counties of Busia and Siaya.
While launching pressure gauge ยี่ห้อ tk , Kenya’s Deputy President, Dr. William Ruto mentioned that a weir shall be constructed to manage water flowing into River Nzoia from other rivers exterior the county.
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“Food security is certainly one of our Big Four agendas and we are dedicated to making sure that we’ve enough food and farmers get money,” said Ruto
Residents are optimistic the relaunch of the Irrigation Scheme will see rice manufacturing in the region bounce to a new level.
The project beneath the National Irrigation Board was conceived in 2006 to help fight perennial flooding on the lower Nzoia areas, whereas diverting the water and using it for irrigation.
The National Irrigation Board has stated that some preliminary works, which embrace the construction of concrete diversion weir, 135m connecting channel and a pair of.7km canal, are ongoing.
Kenya’s Irrigation Permanent Secretary, Fred Segor, stated the project was set to be a fully-fledged agribusiness enterprise with production and worth addition.
He introduced that there have been efforts to ensure the venture is accomplished in 2021 as had been envisioned.
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