• Project aimed at boosting rice production and preventing floods in Busia and Siaya.
• Funded by World Bank and Germany at Sh3.9 billion and Sh1.4 billion respectively.
Image: MAURICE ALAL
Deputy President William Ruto will on Friday launch the Sh5.3 billion lower Nzoia irrigation project which cuts across Siaya and Busia counties.
The project is aimed at boosting rice production and preventing destructive floods. It covers Ugunja, Alego Usonga and Budalang'i constituencies.
Ruto will launch the project at Bunyala irrigation scheme in Busia county before touring Sisenye irrigation scheme to assess progress.
The projects are part of government efforts to increase acreage under irrigation in line with the Big 4 agenda.
The lower Nzoia project is funded by the World Bank and the German government at Sh3.9 billion and Sh1.4 billion respectively.
The project awarded to Sinohydro Company started in June last year. It is expected to be complete in 2021.
National Irrigation Board deputy general manager Raphael Ogendo said the mega-project will put close to 20,000 acres under irrigation in Siaya and Busia counties along the lower part of Nzoia river.
Apart from rice, crops such as fruits, vegetables, soybeans and maize will be grown on a rotational basis.
Ogendo said farmers will generate an estimated Sh4.8 billion annually. More than 70,000 people will be protected from floods. It will create thousands of jobs.
The government wants to put 1.5 million acres under irrigation by 2022.
The project will contribute to food security, economic growth and enhanced climate resilience for farmers.
Ogendo said the project has two components — dyke rehabilitation which will cost Sh1.4 billion and irrigation to cost Sh3.8 billion.
The government will spend Sh1.5 billion to compensate those who will be affected by the project.
The total parcels for compensation are 2,807 acres with an estimated cost of Sh1.7 billion. So far Sh169,703, 415 million has been disbursed for 214 parcels according to NIB, with 2,593 pending due to delays by the National Land Commission.
The delay, the NIB said, will lead to additional cost of the project due to claims from the contractor.
A total of Sh1.18 billion has been given to the contractor. The payment for works done so far stands at Sh 255,302,215 million.
Ogendo said the project will reduce the impact of the perennial flooding in the lower Nzoia between Rwamba and Lake Victoria.
Ogendo said the work includes construction of an intake, water conveyance infrastructure and an infield system in Ugunja.
The existing 28.4km dykes will be improved and another 5.8km of dykes set up on either side of river Nzoia.
Budalang’i is one of the areas frequently hit by floods. The annual flooding occurs when river Nzoia bursts its banks, submerging dykes. This leads to loss of life and property.
Ogendo on Thursday toured the area and said he is satisfied with the progress at the lower Nzoia irrigation project.
He said the project will help Bunyala irrigation scheme change from the pump-fed system irrigation to a gravity-fed system. It will also open up more land under irrigation.
In phase one, a total of 10,000 acres will be put under irrigation. About 25,000 people will benefit directly.
“We plan to have 5,000 acres under rice farming and 5,000 acres of high-value horticultural crops such as vegetables, bananas and watermelons on a rotational basis,” Ogendo said.
In the second phase, rice and other crops will be grown on 10,000 acres. To ensure sustainability, he said they will strengthen programmes on effective water use.
Bunyala scheme manager Edwin Manyonge said once complete, the total rice acreage will rise to 5,000 acres from the current 2,078.
The acreage under rice production in Bunyala increased to 2,078 acres from 534 acres in 1996 when the scheme was started.
High-value crops, Ogendo said, will take 5,000 acres, bringing the total acreage under the Bunyala irrigation scheme to 10,000 acres.