Aasai

The government has launched a Sh45 million irrigation project in Garissa aimed at improving food production in the county. The 1,500-acre Bulla Adey irrigation scheme in Kora Kora will use water from the Tana River to enable residents to venture into crop farming and increase food production in the county and nationally.

 It will be the second in the county after the 1,000-acre Raole Canal irrigation project in Balambala. It will also create opportunities for farmers who want to shift from pastoralism to crop farming. Speaking at the launch of the project, Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Eric Muuga said the Sh45 million project aims to help farmers easily access water from the Tana River for irrigation. “Food security is one of the five key pillars of President William Ruto’s government, and the creation of irrigation projects is part of the efforts to increase food production,” he said. 

The minister said his ministry is working with the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure there is enough water for irrigation, noting that without water, crop farming becomes difficult. "We have seen you grow oilseeds, including sunflower, you also grow horticultural crops, cereals and we have been told that all these crops are doing well even in the interior areas away from the Tana River because you are doing livestock grazing work on the Tana River. nation,” he added.

 The minister also called on residents to make good use of the scheme when it is completed to produce food and earn a living. Permanent Secretary for Agriculture Kipronoh Ronoh said his department will assist farmers in value addition and infrastructure to help increase their profits. PS also presented 1,000 tonnes of sunflower seeds to the Garissa farmers network and another 2,000 tonnes are expected to be added. "We have come here to launch an irrigation scheme, which will help you grow food. 

We will ensure that the structure is good enough to enable you to get high yields in food production," Ronoh said. Garissa Constituency Member of Parliament Dekow Mohamed said Garissa County could be the next food hub in the country if proper investment in agriculture is made. "We have land and water from the Tana River. All we need is investment in infrastructure on that agricultural land. The residents, some of the pastoralists, want to start farming but they lack the capacity and funding for the project," Dekow said.

 "We have the capacity, we have the capability, and we have the power to produce enough food. What we lack is investment in resources and infrastructure in the sector," he added. Leaders who attended the event included Parliamentary Affairs Permanent Secretary Aurelia Rono, Garissa Governor Nathif Jama, Senator Abdul Haji, Women Representative Udgoon Siyad and Garissa County Commissioner Mohamed Mwabudzo.