The Principal Secretary, State Department for Water and Sanitation Dr. Kipronoh Ronoh Paul commissioned a 0.5 acre demo farm at Lodokejek Primary School in Samburu County today during the 31st World Water Day celebrations. In the farm, the Authority has cropped cabbage and spinach under sprinkler Irrigation System. This will benefit the School directly by providing nutritious food as well as provide a learning ground on irrigated agriculture for school and the community at large. The Authority also contributed 2,000 hass avocado tree seedlings to the School in support of the National tree planting campaign.
In Samburu County, the Authority has constructed 117No. Household Water Pans achieving 793,065 m3 volume of water, putting up 793 acres of land under irrigation which has benefited 117 households.
In addition, 6No.of Community water pans have also been constructed, achieving 600,000 m3, putting up 400 acres under irrigation benefiting 400 households.
The theme of this year’s World Water Day celebration is ‘Accelerating Change’ and the Authority is achieving this by directly contributing to food security through irrigation projects. So far, about 670,000 acres have been put under irrigation across the country. This acreage is meant to increase as the government commits to establish more irrigation projects across the country. The Government is also putting efforts to harvest and store more water for irrigation through construction of dams under Public Private Partnership. Every acre put under irrigation creates five direct jobs and many more jobs indirectly. Irrigation accelerates change in farmer’s lifestyle through provision of food, income, job opportunities, industrial raw materials and sustainable food production.
The PS was accompanied by the Samburu Governor H.E Jonathan Lati Lelelit, Samburu Senator Hon. Dr. Ltumbesi Lelegwe, Samburu Woman Rep Hon. Pauline Lenguris, Samburu West MP Hon. Naisula Lesuuda, a host of other National and County Government leaders, Water Sector Agencies Chairmen and CEO’s, Ms. Charlene Ruto, the Patron of SMACHS Foundation and Smachs foundation staff. They were received at the National Irrigation Authority’s demo farm by our Principal Corporate Communications Officer Mr. Daniel M. Nzonzo, HSC.