เกรดวัดแรงดัน -billion water project has been launched in Western Kenya to help handle perennial floods in elements of the area and promote irrigation farming.
The Ksh7 billion (US$70 million) challenge dubbed Lower Nzoia Irrigation Project will unfold across 10,000 acres of land with a view of producing enough meals to serve the entire region. 5,000 acres is anticipated to be underneath excessive worth crops and the opposite 5,000 acres underneath rice and meals crops to learn 12,000 households.
At least 34km of dykes will be constructed apart from River Nzoia to forestall it from bursting its banks and discharging water which might wreak havoc on farms and homes.
The project is projected to profit no less than 60,000 individuals from two western counties of Busia and Siaya.
While launching the venture, Kenya’s Deputy President, Dr. William Ruto said that a weir might be constructed to manage water flowing into River Nzoia from different rivers outdoors the county.
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“Food safety is certainly one of our Big Four agendas and we are dedicated to making sure that we now have adequate meals and farmers get cash,” said Ruto
Residents are optimistic the relaunch of the Irrigation Scheme will see rice production within the region leap to a new stage.
The project beneath the National Irrigation Board was conceived in 2006 to help combat perennial flooding at the lower Nzoia areas, whereas diverting the water and using it for irrigation.
The National Irrigation Board has stated that some preliminary works, which embody the construction of concrete diversion weir, 135m connecting channel and 2.7km canal, are ongoing.
Kenya’s Irrigation Permanent Secretary, Fred Segor, said the challenge was set to be a fully-fledged agribusiness enterprise with manufacturing and value addition.
He introduced that there were efforts to ensure the venture is completed in 2021 as had been envisioned.
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