• The Sh7.2 billion Galana Kulalu project gets the greenlight from former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and the parliamentary Agriculture committee.
• The ODM leader visited the Sh7.2 billion food security project in Kilifi and Tana River for the first time on Thursday last week
Image: ALPHONCE GARI
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga says the Galana Kulalu project is doable if there is commitment.
The project was viewed as a white elephant by many Kenyans but has now received the backing of Raila and the National Assembly Agriculture Committee.
In a span of two weeks, the leaders have visited the site and said it was not a waste of taxpayer money. This is despite the current standoff between the National Irrigation Board and the Israeli contractor Green Arava.
The ODM leader visited the Sh7.2 billion food security project in Kilifi and Tana River for the first time on Thursday last week.
During the tour, Raila said he will soon be calling for a meeting with the two aggrieved parties to seek a solution to the falling-out.
"Challenges that have marred this project should be discussed by all the stakeholders to pave the way for the conclusion of the project and other phases as had earlier been envisioned," he said, adding there is evidence that the project is feasible.
He called upon Kilifi and Tana River governments to play their role in ensuring the success of the project, including the development of proper infrastructure and training centres.
NIB chairman Joshua Toro said the board (now transitioned to authority) has started the first harvest since NIB took over crop production at Galana Kulau from contractor Arava in May.
NIB took over production after the exit of the Israeli contractor Green Arava late last year, but chairman Yariv Kedar said 24 of the company's employees are still on site. "We are still at the site and have never left,” Kedar said.
Toro said 2,100 acres are currently under crop and they plan to use installed infrastructure that can cover up to 5,100 acres.
The crops under irrigation are maize (1,700 acres), cotton (200 acres), legumes (120 acres) and pasture (80 acres).
“The 10,000 acres model farm is currently at 85 per cent completion on infrastructure and 51 per cent complete in irrigation,” he said.
Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi and his Tana River counterpart Dhadho Godhana, National Assembly Agriculture committee members and other local leaders had accompanied Raila to the site.
Kingi said running the project is not rocket science and urged that it be handed over to the two counties. He said if they take charge, they will in five months produce food from the 170,000-acre irrigation scheme and feed the entire nation.
"Since agriculture is devolved, our plea to the President is that the project be handed over to the two counties and in a few months we will show you the results. We will feed the entire country and our neighbours. If we fail, then the national government should take the project back,” the county chief said.
He dismissed claims that the two counties lack the capacity to run the project, saying the national government also lacked the capacity at the start. Kingi reiterated that corruption has been the only obstacle for the project that has put the Jubilee administration on the receiving end.
(Edited by F'Orieny)