• Water and Irrigation CS Sicily Kairuki said she was satisfied with ongoing work and the funds will be made available in two weeks.
• Sicily said there was a need for funding to complete the existing infrastructure before the farm is handed over to the private sector.
The government will approve Sh700 million for the completion of the 10,000-acre test farm at the Galana Kulalu Irrigation Scheme.
Water and Irrigation CS Sicily Kairuki said she was satisfied with ongoing work and the funds will be made available in two weeks.
Sicily said there was a need for funding to complete the existing infrastructure before the farm is handed over to the private sector. She spoke after inspecting the model farm on Wednesday.
Already the National Irrigation Authority which took over from the Israeli company Green Arava is planting crops on the land.
Sicily encouraged NIA to grow more horticultural crops alongside maize. The CS said 5,200 acres of the model farm has been put to use.
She said the team was also testing a variety of crops to see their productivity.
Sicily said her visit was also aimed at confirming the water systems that had been put in place and their viability.
“The National Irrigation Authority has done a good job. They have got their agronomy aspect right, water management issues right. They may not be best-placed in terms of routes to market each crop but they are better placed in terms of intensifying for us to optimise returns from this investment," she said.
Sicily said the Galana Kulalu food security project is an example of the successes realised from the 2010 Constitution.
The CS said the budget for water has also increased from Sh40 billion to Sh80 billion per year to boost access to citizens.
She said in all the 47 counties, access to water has improved in the last 10 years since the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution.
Sicily was accompanied by PS Joseph Irungu and was received by National Irrigation Authority CEO Gitonga Mugambi.
Agriculture CS Peter Munya recently visited the site and said the project was going on well.
Last month, a team of principal secretaries also toured the site and supported the ongoing works at the food security project.
Munya during his visit said the project was ready to be handed over to the private developers once the 10,000-acre test firm is complete.
The National government plans to lease the 1.8 million acres following successful developments in the area.