Rono said that the government is working around the clock to find a permanent source of water in the region through construction of mega dams and drilling of high yield boreholes to facilitate irrigation farming.
“This is a place where we just need water because the soil is fertile and the farmers do not even need fertilisers. With assistance, the farmers can get enough food for consumption and export,” the PS said.
“As a national government through the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, we will do everything to support this region and other regions in the country which have enough land and only need water to be able to produce food crops.”
The PS further said with the current change of climate leading to low and unpredictable rain patterns, it was time to shift from rain fed agriculture to irrigation farming.
“The government’s plan to introduce irrigation and build more dams is in the right direction. If we can make sure that the mega dams are constructed and we also drill more boreholes in high yield places, we will be able to support communities to grow their crops and tackle food insecurity in the country,” he said.
Wajir West MP Yusuf Farah said that it was impressive of farmers to have come up with the little resources they had, and shortage of water, to start irrigation farming in the area.
“Agriculture is the way to go here. We have a fertile land, and we will have water so we need to start changing our mentality and work together for a food secure future,” Farah said.
“I want to ask everyone in Wajir county and the ASAL (arid and semi-arid lands) regions to change our perceptions and embrace agriculture so that we can feed ourselves.”
The PS was also joined by the chairperson of the Northern Water Works Development Agency Nasri Ibrahim, NWWDA chief executive Andrew Rage, Water Resources Authority chairperson Mohamed Shuriye and officials from the World Bank.
