IMPLEMENTATION OF GALANA KULALU FOOD SECURITY PROJECT

The National Irrigation Authority is spearheading the implementation of Galana Kulalu Food Security Project, a vital initiative that gained momentum following a presidential directive in January 2023. This revitalization positions the project as a cornerstone of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), with strong support from the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, led by CS Eng. Eric Mugaa, and the State Department for Irrigation, under PS CPA Ephantus Kimotho CBS.

The NIA’s primary role has been to construct essential irrigation infrastructure, including a comprehensive canal system, reservoirs and the installation of high-capacity pumps, all designed to enable year-round irrigation. This critical infrastructure is fundamental to the project’s core objective: transforming previously arid land into fertile, food-producing zones, thereby significantly bolstering Kenya’s food security.

Operating under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, the initiative has successfully attracted private sector involvement, most notably from SELU Limited, the lead private investor responsible for large-scale grain and seed maize cultivation.

The project is structured in three key phases: developing 20,000 acres for immediate food production, constructing the Galana Dam with a capacity of 300 million cubic meters and its associated water conveyance infrastructure and progressively opening 200,000 acres within the Galana-Kulalu ranch for irrigation-based commercial agriculture.

With substantial government investment, the irrigation infrastructure is already operational. Water from the Galana River is efficiently filtered, channeled through canals to storage reservoirs, and then pumped to the fields using seven high-capacity pumps, with an additional seven currently being installed.

These interventions, led by the NIA, are effectively transforming vast arid areas into productive lands capable of supporting high-volume, year-round crop production. In June 2025, the first production cycle under the PPP arrangement commenced, with SELU beginning the cultivation of seed maize. This marks a crucial step toward establishing a sustainable supply of high-quality seed varieties for national use and distribution, projected to yield hundreds of thousands of bags of maize annually.

Beyond its direct agricultural impact, the Galana-Kulalu Food Security Project is fostering broader economic development through the collaboration of various key partners. The Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) is constructing the Galana-Kulalu Bridge, which will significantly improve logistical access for agricultural inputs and produce.

The Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) is actively involved in providing power to energize pumping stations and operational facilities across the project. Additionally, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has provided essential support in managing human-wildlife coexistence within the project zone.

This comprehensive project is creating hundreds of direct and indirect jobs, stimulating rural economies and promoting agro-industrial development through future investments in value addition and support services.

Under the coordinated leadership of the NIA, and with sustained backing from the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, the State Department for Irrigation, and other vital partners, the Galana-Kulalu Food Security Project is firmly on course to address Kenya’s food security needs, enhance economic resilience and catalyze inclusive growth for communities in the coastal region and beyond.