Nakuru County is among the regions that will benefit from modern and improved agri-technology from Israel in collaboration with the Ministry of Water and Irrigation.
While making the announcement on Wednesday at the ministry headquarters, Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa said Agriculture departmental heads in the respective areas will be accorded with capacity building sessions in Galana-Kulalu where the projects have been successful.
Other areas set to benefit from the technology are; Thwake Dam in Makueni County, Daua basin in Mandera, Ewaso Nyiro in Isiolo and parts of Marsabit, Kerio and Turkwell basins in Turkana and part of West Pokot county and the Great Bura basin which cuts across three counties; Tana River, Kitui and Garissa.
He said the counties chosen were identified after critical scrutiny with those with a huge irrigation capacity being selected.
“The projects will be carried out in various counties that we have identified as having irrigable potential,” noted the CS.
According to Wamalwa, the move is aimed at ensuring that the country is more productive by increasing food production thanks to different irrigation projects.
“This will see our country increase the area under irrigation by 500,000 acres which in turn doubles up the food we produce,” he noted.
With Israel promising to set up manufacturing industries in specific counties among the selected ones, Wamalwa foresees an independent nation in matters of food stability arguing that the companies will facilitate production of equipment that will fuel up yields.
He said, “This will facilitate the manufacture of farm inputs, fertilisers and other high-tech equipment that will automatically increase the yields of agri-business.”
“Other counties with no visible established irrigation schemes will help locate sites suitable for facilitating the project,” Wamalwa added.