Irrigation
West Pokot County through the Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) is changing many lives through the introduction of high value mango seedlings production that are not only being propagated within the region but also being supplied to other far regions.
According to their strategic plan, the authority has the capability of generating 1,000,000 mango seedlings per year that take a short time to reach maturity once established in different ecological zones.
David Onyango, the Director of Planning at the KVDA, stated during a project inspection conducted by officials from the Presidential Delivery Unit that the grafting of seedlings was one of the initiatives in which KVDA was actively involved, and the effort was being implemented across the country.
He noted that the project has positively impacted on many individuals in the region, and that the seedlings were distributed to various locations throughout the country.”The project has helped the people of Turkana, West Pokot, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet in many things because this project is like gold, it has money,” Onyango said.
He further mentioned that local youths were engaged on a casual basis where they grafted 1000 fruit seedlings each day and paid wages to supplement their incomes. “One fruit seedling goes for Sh120 on our plots, but an additional fee is applied when sold outside the farm to cover transportation costs. The project has attracted customers from across the country, particularly farmers, schools, and various institutions,” he said.
He further said that there was a pressing need for more individuals to embrace the technology by visiting the farm to acquire mango fruit seedlings, emphasizing that mangoes represent wealth and financial opportunity. He said that the KVDA has already established a mango juice processing factory at Tot in Elgeyo Marakwet County, and urged all farmers to cultivate additional mango seedlings to ensure the factory has a steady supply of raw materials.
Farmers admire a flourishing banana fruit courtesy of the Weiwei irrigation project which provides them a reliable free water supply to their farms. Photo by Anthony Melly.
He noted that annually, approximately 30,000 litres of juice was processed from the mango farms managed by KVDA, and the revenue generated from mango sales significantly benefited the farmers, as KVDA purchases the mangoes directly from them, providing financial support that enables them to pursue other ventures.
He encourages West Pokot residents and neighbouring counties to visit the KVDA facilities to purchase fruit seedlings and observe the ongoing progress of the projects, highlighting the financial potential of the mango tree seedling initiative. “We encourage farmers in the county to consider the Weiwei Irrigation Project, recognizing the potential it holds and the efforts being made to ensure that youth, women and men alike can benefit from this initiative,” Onyango urged.
He disclosed that the Weiwei Irrigation Project spans approximately 325 hectares, primarily designated for maize cultivation, with a segment dedicated to a mango seedling initiative. He affirmed that since residents of West Pokot County started utilizing the land for over 20 years, they have realised numerous benefits.
He said the project has helped to address the historical challenges which the residents faced including low school attendance and prevalent health issues. He noted that since the project’s inception, residents have expressed increased happiness due to improved financial resources, allowing them to send their children to school, a notable enhancement compared to previous conditions.
Onyango further said the residents were now able to provide adequate food for their families. In addition to the mango initiative, Onyango said KVDA farm project focuses on other agriculture activities that aimed at promoting food security through the cultivation of maize, sorghum, and various other crops.
He disclosed that the project has also contributed to a reduction in insecurity in the North Rift region. He noted that previously, there were significant security challenges in the region, but the establishment of the Weiwei Irrigation Project has led many youths, who once engaged in banditry, to turn to farming, resulting in a more peaceful environment.
He urged more young individuals to participate in agricultural activities associated with the scheme to reap its benefits. He said KVDA has allocated funds for the upcoming phase three of the irrigation project, adding that “Agricultural machinery has been ordered from abroad for the Phase 3 of the project and is currently at the Mombasa port, awaiting transportation to the site”.
Onyango anticipated that within the next two weeks, the machinery would arrive at the KVDA offices located in the Sigor area of Pokot Central Sub County, where the Weiwei Irrigation project is situated.
“The irrigation equipment will assist in finishing the work of the irrigation system that is in Phase Three on the 225 hectares. The primary function of KVDA is to promote collaboration among farmers and to support the national government’s initiatives. Once the KVDA completes the installation of agricultural equipment for Phase 3, significant changes are expected,” he reiterated.
He emphasized that the efforts of Weiwei have been recognized across the country, particularly in addressing issues related to food security, value addition and employment creation for the local community. Furthermore, Onyango expressed the intention to monitor the project’s developmental progress, ensuring that children have access to education and that women, children, and the elderly enjoy good health.
He said that the farm employs casual workers who were involved in the cultivation of mango tree seedlings and maize, with a current workforce of 100 individuals engaged on a daily basis, receiving their rightful compensation.
“Fruit grafters are around 13 and these people have also trained other people some of whom have taken to Napuu and other areas. This is a scale that we will like even the youths to come to be trained so that they can train other youths and, in the process, gain for their personal development,” Onyango states.
He indicated that the existing plan of the project encompassed the installation of all machinery, with the expectation that the machines would be delivered to the farm and installation works completed in the first week of October 2024 and by December.
“There will be no complications concerning the pipes because the repair work will be finalised and new pipes installed. Funding has been designated for the thorough rehabilitation of the piping system in the irrigation scheme,” he assured.
He reassured the farmers that their typical production of 1,000 tons of maize seeds was expected to exceed the usual figure, resulting in over 70 million upon the sale of their harvest to the Kenya Seed Company, following the initiation of the third phase of the Weiwei Irrigation project.
“Contractors will be here to rehabilitate Phase 1 and Phase 2. There is a challenge of water not reaching the whole farm and plumbers will be engaged for rehabilitation of the irrigation project for money that has been set aside for the repair works,” Onyango said.
Pokot Central Sub-County Senior Deputy County Commissioner Jeremiah Tumo emphasised that the Weiwei Irrigation Project was a crucial initiative towards the government’s dedication to addressing food security issues across the country.
“West Pokot is often perceived as a challenging area for habitation; however, I would like to emphasize that, thanks to the irrigation project implemented by KVDA, this region possesses significant potential for agricultural production,” SDCC Tumo said.
He noted that the project has drawn farmers from various parts of the county, who recognized its potential and wish to take advantage of the irrigation project. Furthermore, the SDCC said that the irrigation project has supported local farmers in producing maize seeds, which they utilized for their families’ consumption.
He said that as directed by the president, it was essential for individuals to engage in tree planting and address the impacts of climate change. He lauded KVDA for being proactive in providing residents with fruit seedlings, particularly mango seedlings.
He noted that recently, during the tree planting day in the region, KVDA distributed 1,000 fruit tree seedlings to farmers in the Pokot Central sub-county. He affirmed that if value addition programmes by the Authority continued in the region, the newly established fruit factory in the Lomut area, which focuses on juice processing, would further enhance employment opportunities for the locals.
SDCC Tumo acknowledged that the community faces several challenges and called upon the government to assist in road construction, highlighting the necessity of good road networks to facilitate the transportation of produce to homes and markets, thereby saving both time and transportation costs.
“We request the government to assist in the purchasing of box culvert for the put-in roads that are impassable since they are very expensive,” DCC Tumo said. The SDCC stated that the government should provide additional shelling machines for farmers to process maize seeds for the Weiwei Irrigation project.
He said that currently, all farmers relied on a single shelling machine, which often led to significant challenges due to the heavy workload.
He noted that disagreement over the use of shelling machines among farmers could result in conflicts among farmers regarding the equitable sharing of the sole shelling machine, and requested the government to buy another shelling machine to farmers to avoid conflicts among them.
“My office has actively played a role in ensuring small disputes that arise from the irrigation project are solved and have never gone far. We have chiefs, village elders who assist in solving conflicts arising from the farm,” he said. He pointed out that the area from which the water for the irrigation project was being collected has experienced landslides, highlighting the necessity for funding to be allocated for the rehabilitation of the irrigation water source.
He said in light of the impacts of climate change, resources for an afforestation programme in regions susceptible to landslides should be enhanced. “As you know people have engaged themselves in charcoal burning, others have cut down trees in areas prone to landslides and without taking keen interest in afforestation, sustainable water supply in the region will reduce,” he said.
He stated that KVDA has the capacity to expand the irrigation project and the potential to involve additional farmers, advocating for an increase of the project area to over 5,000 acres through the development of phases 4, 5, and 6.
“The expansion would enable more farmers, who currently lack land shares in the irrigation scheme. I encourage farmers to diversify their agricultural practices by exploring crops beyond maize, highlighting that sugar cane and sisal farming present viable opportunities for enhancing their livelihoods,” Tumo suggested.
Tumo confirmed that substantial income has been generated by the farmers allowing many families to educate their children, construct quality homes, thereby enhancing their overall livelihoods. David Chepkisha, a resident of the Sigor area, remarked that prior to the establishment of the irrigation project, he was jobless and relied on the forest for sustenance while cultivating sorghum using furrow irrigation system.
He said the introduction of the piping system in the region significantly improved his farming techniques, leading to the abandonment of the furrow method. “Since then, the community has consistently benefited from the piped water for irrigation,” Chepkisha disclosed.
A group of dedicated farmers at work during the shelling of maize harvested from Weiwei Irrigation Scheme in Pokot Central Sub County of West Pokot County. Photo by Anthony Melly
He revealed that the irrigation project has fostered unity among community members, promoting peace and enabling parents to send their children to school while ensuring food security for their families. Chepkisha said he recalled a time when he and others contemplated engaging in banditry due to the hardships they faced, as they had no means to support themselves.
He urged the government to consider implementing Phases 4 and 5 of the irrigation project to assist residents who currently lack access to irrigated land. “KVDA has been our father and mother and since they came they have assisted us in many ways and we give credit to them for training us on farming techniques and securing employment for our children,” he stated.
He requested the authorities to expand their mango seedling grafting initiative by incorporating the trial of other trees, which, when planted, would facilitate the construction of their homes, emphasizing that mango trees are not suitable for building purposes.
Michael Loktari stated when the furrow system failed, many residents found themselves in a difficult situation until the government recognised their needs.
“When one observes the environment surrounding the irrigation scheme, one can see the presence of iron sheets structures that were absent in earlier times, as well as a notable increase in food production. This project has tremendously benefited the residents of Masol Ward, the people of Baringo County as well as those from Turkana County hence reduced border tensions,” Loktari highlighted.
He added that the community also gains a lot when their livestock are allowed to graze in areas where crops have not been sown and also after harvesting has taken place. Hellen Chepokunur, another resident of Weiwei Ward, expressed that the project has been a reprieve for especially mothers who feel for their children whenever they lack basic needs.
“I would work tirelessly throughout the day, earning only fifty or a hundred shillings, which was insufficient to meet our basic needs. This project has significantly improved our situation, and not a single day goes by without my children having enough to eat,” Chepokunur attested.
Olando Sitati, the Managing Director for the Rift Valley Region in the Office of the Presidential Delivery Unit, stated that the tour aimed at assessing the government projects being implemented and identifying additional needs within the locality that could enhance the residents’ livelihoods.
“We visited the region to get to know the challenges which the residents are facing and also to find out the success stories of the projects which the government has commissioned for use in the region,” Sitati stated. Following the inspection of the KVDA projects in the Sigor area of Pokot Central Sub County, it was clear that the irrigation project has significantly enhanced the livelihoods of the locals.
“The irrigation project is doing very well and has helped create employment for the local community and contribute to production of maize as well as environmental conservation and promote security to the North Rift region,” he affirmed.
He stated that all the issues related to the irrigation scheme, as raised by the residents, will be addressed and forwarded to the Office of the President for appropriate action, ensuring that the residents extensively benefit from the project. Sitati encouraged the residents to work in partnership with the government and relevant agencies to create a favorable environment for greater development.
“All stakeholders should understand that the government listens to them and all their requests and what the government intends to do for them will be fulfilled,” he assured. He emphasized that in addition to the maize produced by farmers in the Weiwei Irrigation Scheme, there was another initiative within the same scheme managed by the National Irrigation Authority (NIA), separate from the KVDA project.