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{
    "id": 305630,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/305630/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 252,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Raila",
    "speaker_title": "The Prime Minister",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 195,
        "legal_name": "Raila Amolo Odinga",
        "slug": "raila-odinga"
    },
    "content": "I would like to provide information on various development projects being implemented or plans for implementation within Turkana County. I do not wish to claim that some of these projects are being implemented as a result of my past and upcoming visits to Turkana. Some of them are--- I want to confirm that I take very keen interest in the development projects within Turkana County so as to deal with the past injustices of marginalization. I am also aware of the great economic potential of Turkana County and how the national economy could benefit from greater investments in Turkana County. Turkana region has suffered massively and persistently from drought that are clearly as a result of climate change. The way forward is to introduce irrigated agriculture among the pastoral communities as a way of diversifying the economic activities to end food insecurity. Water supply and irrigation are of top priority in the Government development programme for Turkana County. A total of 7,575 acres in the county are planned to be under irrigation when the various irrigation projects are completed in March, 2013. With the support of United States African Development Fund (USADF) we invested over US$4 million last year and this year we target to spend US$10 million, that is over Kshs800 million targetting food security and high value crops such as tomatoes, bananas and capsicum for sale in the domestic market, livestock marketing and fisheries. Eleven irrigation projects with investment totalling US$1 million, that is over Kshs80 million will directly impact over 7,000 small holder farmers in Turkana East, South and Baringo District. We have estimated that over 35,000 individuals will benefit from this programme of grants alone. Mr. Speaker, Sir, on 21st August, that is next week on Tuesday, I shall be launching the Integrated Lake Turkana Basin Development Programme which has two components. First, is the Todonyang Irrigation Project, a component of the Lake Turkana Basin Development Project which will irrigate 25,000 acres of land. The second component is the Furrows and Desert Agricultural Development Programme that seeks to promote dry land agriculture. A total of Kshs1.3 billion has been committed by the Government and the development partners including UNICEF, the World Bank and African Development Fund for various water supply projects in Turkana County."
}