The average Kenyan farmer produces maize at a cost of Sh1,700 per 90 kg bag, a Tegemeo Institute survey indicates.
The cost of production for a large-scale farmer is 1,300 per 90kg bag of maize.
Irrigation PS Patrick Nduati said, however, the preliminary production cost of a 90kg bag of maize at Galana-Kulalu is Sh925.
“This is the calculated cost of valuable inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, chemicals, labour and diesel for tractors used,” Nduati said. He said the actual figure of the cost of production per 90 kg bag will be available upon completion of the ongoing harvest.
National Irrigation Board planning chief engineer Mwangi Thuita said the total cost of the 10,000 acres model farm is Sh7.2 billion.
Speaking to the Star yesterday, he said this cost has been broken down to Sh3.5 billion for facilities geared towards irrigation. This translates to about Sh350,000 infrastructural investments per acre, including work done at the intake, pumping, piping, centre pivots, sprinklers and filtration.
“There is an extra Sh3.7 billion cost going towards farm machinery and equipment, staff housing, farm roads, offices and a solar-powered 35km electric fence. This brings the total cost of the Galana-Kulalu irrigation project to Sh7.2 billion,” Thuita said. He said the model farm should be complete by March next year. So far 3,500 acres have been planted and harvested.
“We have planted 1,000 acres, which are yet to be harvested. By January, we shall have another 2,000 acres and the remaining 3,500 acres will be done come February and March. This will bring the total acreage of the model farm to 10,000 acres,” Thuita said.
PS Nduati said the future plan is to expand to 20,000 acres in the short-term and another 400,000 acres in the medium term, which will be much cheaper than the cost of the initial project.
“This will be made possible by construction of a two billion cubic meters dam across the Galana River. There is a study that is ongoing to advise on the expansion and to inform on how settlement will be done since, besides being a food security project, Galana is also aimed at creating employment,” he said.