The National Irrigation Board has entered a partnership with Japan to double the acreage under rice in Ahero and Kano irrigation schemes.
The schemes will also be rehabilitated under the technical cooperation with Japan International Cooperation Agency, Western Kenya NIB manager Joel Tanui said yesterday.
The region has approximately 10,000 acres under rice and 4,000 farmers.
“The partnership is aimed at expanding the area under irrigation from 10,000 to 20,000 acres by next year,” Tanui said.
He said there was a lot of potential in the Lake Victoria basin that also includes Bunyala Irrigation Scheme.
JICA will design concrete irrigation canals for efficient evacuation of water to Lake Victoria. Ahero and Kano irrigation schemes have earthen canals.
Tanui urged farmers to support the projects as they will increase production and more income for them. “Once rehabilitation of the whole scheme is done, farmers will be able to produce rice two or three times in a year,” he said.
Farmers in Ahero, Kano and Bunyala plant their rice between June and October.
Tanui said they will take advantage of the construction of Koru-Soin Multipurpose Dam to boost irrigation. “The dam will supply adequate water throughout the year,” he said.
The corporation will help in the mitigation of perennial floods that perenially hit Nyando.
“We have not been able to construct dykes and dams due to lack of funds but we’re happy because JICA has shown interest in funding such projects,” Tanui said.
Last year, farmers incurred losses after birds invaded their paddies. The flocks, mainly weaver birds, descend on the rice early in the morning, leaving in their wake destruction.
Tanui said the department of pests control will control the birds by spraying their roosting sites.
