Trials on new varieties of maize seed at the Sh7 billion Galana/Kulalu irrigation project have yielded positive results. The breakthrough on four varieties set to produce 20,000 bags of maize from 500 hectares next month is an achievement after previous failed test runs. It is part of the 2,000 hectares of virgin land under trials in Tana River County under a project done with the latest technology and expertise from the Israeli government. The development is an assurance that the project is on track as it was the centre of bilateral talks between Kenya and Israel during President Uhuru Kenyatta’ s visit early this year. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu jets into the country today for a two-day visit, which will include a follow-up on the project.“We have made huge progress on this project… Next month, we will be harvesting approximately 40 bags per hectare,” said Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa. The CS, who toured the project yesterday in the company of Irrigation Principal Secretary Patrick Nduati and National Irrigation Board General Manager Mugambi Gitonga, said the country would soon be food sufficient soon following the breakthrough. “The PM (Israeli) visit will definitely firm up this project because it was one of the centre-pieces of engagement in Jerusalem, a declaration that the two leaders signed. Netanyahu’s visit is set to expand the bilateral support and roll out the project to other regions,” said the CS. With 2,000 hectares, the country is assured of around 80,000 bags of maize. Presently, Kenya imports 10 million bags annually to bridge local production shortfall, especially in traditional food growing regions. The minister admitted that coming up with the top four best maize seed varieties was not an easy task and this was not the final run, as other crops will be tested. Kenya is partnering with Israel to learn the latest technology that will cure the perennial food scarcity, especially with unpredictable weather. “The project was initially to cost Sh14 billion but was scaled down to Sh7 billion. We are engaging Israeli expertise for rotational crops,” said the CS.
Read more at: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/article/2000207492/cs-eugene-wamalwa-says-galana-kulalu-maize-seed-trials-a-success
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The automatic self cleaning filtration system that filters approx 5000cubic meters per hour now working
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2000 acres under Maize and with addition of pumps & centre pivots will achieve greater acreage
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Impressed with Punda Milia seed variety that promises better yield harvest
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The one week old maize crop under production in the remaining 8,000 acres to complete the trial
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The 3 weeks old maize under production
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nikama tu kwa shamba langu
What is the impact of this project to a vumbistan?
That’s what am talking about, but it’s hard to imagine that we import 10 million bags of maize annually to bridge the demand.
Keep em coming…ata kama ni projects za congo
:):):):)
The 10,000 acres is just a successful trial to pick the right varieties of seeds and understand the soil content of the area. Now that the research is successful, Kenya-Israeli government who jointed funded the trials will await the final report and move into tendering for the whole 500,000 acres based on the findings. The winning bidder will fund the entire project with their own finances. 500,000 acres will be for maize, wheat and other rotational crops. 100,000 acres for flowers, 100,000 for horticulture, 100,000 for livestock and 200,000 for wild animals park to promote tourism in the area.
Cool stuff. What happened to Turkana water if I may ask
Maybe they are looking for someone to jointly fund tests to check whether the water can be viably harvested…
The study was done on the Turkana Aquifer and the water deemed unsuitable for human consumption as it is. It has high quantities of minerals so it will be necessary to build industrial filtration plants to purify it for drinking. Fortunately the region has endless strong sunlight which will be greatly needed to power the plant as it consumes a lot of power.
This is a white elephant project used to siphon tax payers money. Farming should be left to private investors .
Yes going forward food self sufficiency is a must as the global food prices rise. Instead of importation, Galana irrigation project and others will fill the gap. Remember they are able to harvest in 3 months, grow other rotational crops and still harvest a couple more times in one year.
Very true. Sielewi niaje 500 hectares inatoa a pitiful 20K bags.
Negativos like you will have more to eat.
The reports on radio today morning quoting Wamalwa were that the second season’s harvest was much worse than expected, but that they expected better yields in the third season.
I’ve seen this centre pivot thing at the delamere farm, but he is not planting maize. That tells us that the private sector is not ready to invest this amount of capital to grow maize because the expected returns ain’t good. Ikiwa private sector with their efficiency cannot make such profitable, can government hack the way efficiencies huwa low pale. Hii sioni if it will ever succeed.
Instead of this, just provide subsidies to farm inputs, from machinery, to fertilizer, to seeds and let the private sector do it
Let’s not get over ourselves, this is still the research phase on 10,000 acres land. Trials are still ongoing, yes it was affected by the heavy rains even river Tana is overflowing right now. This Israeli are farming successful in a more harsh environment (desert) so Galana is a paradise to them.
maybe ukiandika in full, …as in ‘20,000 bags’ instead of ‘20K’, utaona ikiwa mob