The County Government of Siaya is seeking to enter into a partnership with the National Irrigation Authority (NIA) to accelerate the operationalisation of the Lower Nzoia Irrigation Project.
Under the proposed agreement, the county government will provide fuel and lubricants to run the scheme’s machinery, while NIA will mobilise resources for construction materials to fast-track pending works.
Governor James Orengo welcomed the move, urging for the swift conclusion of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), noting that the initiative is key to enhancing food security.
“This project has the potential to produce up to 56,000 metric tonnes of rice annually, significantly bridging the national rice deficit which currently stands at about 700,000 tonnes,” Orengo said.
According to NIA Director of Irrigation Management Services, Mr. Jairus Serede, an additional Sh800 million to Sh1 billion is required to fully roll out rice production at the Lower Nzoia scheme.
“The scheme alone is projected to cover about 30 percent of the national rice deficit,” Serede explained.
The Lower Nzoia Irrigation Project, implemented by Sinohydro Corporation with funding from the World Bank and KfW Development Bank, is expected to benefit more than 12,500 farmers in Siaya and Busia counties. Of these, 5,640 farmers are from Siaya and 6,744 from Busia.
In Siaya, 1,911 hectares will be brought under irrigation, while Busia will have 2,505 hectares. Farmers will grow high-value crops such as fruits and vegetables on 2,023 hectares, while rice will be cultivated in rotation with soybeans, maize and other legumes on another 2,023 hectares.
The project, launched on June 12, 2018, aims to mitigate perennial floods while increasing irrigated acreage in the two counties. Phase One targets 10,000 acres on the left bank of River Nzoia, while Phase Two will cover an additional 10,000 acres on the right bank.
Once fully operational, the scheme is expected to generate an estimated KSh4.8 billion annually through high-value crops and rice production.
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