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{
    "id": 1265902,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1265902/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 200,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Alice Wahome",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Nadoto Irrigation Scheme is located in Kerio Ward, Turkana Central Constituency. The community initiated the scheme around 2004 and mutually constructed the intake canal as well as a distribution system to facilitate crop production in the area. Due to inadequate, unreliable water, the community approached the District Irrigation Officer then under the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, who developed design proposals for rehabilitation and expansion of the works during the period 2007 to 2009. Implementation of the proposal was affected by limited funds, and the project proposal was submitted for implementation under the expanded National Irrigation Programme to be undertaken by NIA. The scope includes rehabilitation of intake works, lining of the main canals, sub-main canals and tertiary, as I have indicated in my response. This scope was expanded from 25 to 500 acres to benefit 1,200 households at an extra cost of Ksh79.8 million. The project implementation started in 2013 and was completed in 2015. It was handed over to the community in August 2015. This is still a community project. Since its completion, the project has been affected by high silt load from the Turkwel River, and hence optimal performance of this project is in question. Further, it has been infested by the infamous mathenge plant, thus reducing production for the irrigation project. We have done our studies and given it in my response. The Member will be able to pick up what I have said in the response. The total cost of the intervention works we intend to undertake through the National Irrigation Authority will be Ksh42,350,000. In total, that particular irrigation scheme and the other one will take about Ksh80 million. We have so far secured Ksh50 million. Therefore, we can proceed with the intervention works to see how those two schemes can come back to full production. Hon. Speaker, the other Question was on the measures that the Ministry has put in place to expand farming in Turkana Central Constituency to enhance food security and reduce poverty. The response is that the Ministry has carried out a needs analysis in Turkana Central and identified an urgent need to ensure that existing schemes are functional and productive. We are also working with the county government to identify new areas of collaboration for purposes of irrigation. As a policy, you are aware of the direction of the Kenya Kwanza Government. We want to put under irrigation close to 1.8 million acres. Turkana County is on board towards that effort and, therefore, we are looking for collaboration with Parliament because of your crucial role in funding. It is possible then to have additional land for irrigation and revisit all existing schemes for expansion and better-enhanced production. We are moving those two projects as I said, and each should have 400 acres under irrigation. We also plan to undertake an immediate inventory mapping of the existing schemes and potential areas. The Member will be advised when my team will go to the ground for some of those interventions so that we can have his participation. Thank you, Hon. Speaker."
}