Posted on December, 17, 2018 at 10:01 am
By ALICE WAITHERA
The government is in the process of reviving stalled irrigation water projects to boost food security in the country.
Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri said the government will revive the numerous water projects that have stalled countrywide, limiting the country’s agricultural productivity.
Speaking on Friday as he toured the Nyangiti Irrigation Water project in Murang’a county, Kiunjuri said majority of the projects have stalled due to misappropriation funds by contractors and irrigation water projects managers.
The CS cited the Nyangiti project as an example as it was yet to be completed eight years after it was started.
Kiunjuri said that in 2010, the project received Sh2 million from the national government and since then, it has received an additional Sh166 million.
The funds, he said, were enough to push the Sh256 project to near completion but misappropriation of funds had caused it to stop, forcing locals to continue living in poverty.
The project is meant to irrigate 1,000 acres of land in Mundika, Njii Ithatu and Nyakahura locations that are constantly affected by drought.
“Today, we have added an extra Sh126 million to this project to facilitate its completion in the next two years,” Kiunjuri said.
By next year, he said, over 500 acres of the targeted area should be using the irrigation water.
The CS put contractors and irrigation water project managers on notice saying the government will not allow funds meant to boost agriculture and empower Kenyans to be misappropriated.
Kiunjuri said he will be going around the country visiting stalled water projects with the aim of reviving them in a bid to put as many acres of land as possible under irrigation.
The CS also urged farmers to turn away from rain-fed agriculture and embrace irrigation farming that will improve their returns.
“We must all embrace water conservation so that our harvests will not be affected by the secession of rains,” he said.
Kiunjuri said that irrigation farming will enable farmers to better manage their farms without relying on rain seasons and double their productivity and income.
Kiunjuri noted that the Big Four Agenda of the Jubilee government cannot be achieved without emphasis on agriculture.
He said the manufacturing pillar relies on agriculture for materials and the government cannot provide housing to hungry Kenyans.
“The Health sector also relies heavily on the availability of sufficient and good quality farm produce. When people are well fed, they spend less on medication,” he said.
The CS said the president has clearly outlined the importance of food and nutrition security.
The sector contributes 31 per cent of the country’s GDP and provides 80 per cent of employment opportunities.
“The Big Four agenda will however not be achieved if we continue doing things the old way,” he added.
The event was attended by area MP Muturi Kigano, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro and Woman representative Sabina Chege who praised the national government for the numerous water projects that have been started in the county.
Source: The Star