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{
    "id": 401904,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/401904/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 22,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Medium Term Plan (MTP) 2008 to 2012 had set a target of developing 40,000 hectares of irrigation annually through various stakeholders. In addition, Parliament passed a Bill in 2010/2011 for development of 800,000 hectares of irrigation in each constituency. Despite the set target, funding to the irrigation sub-sector has been low. Irrigation development is expansive and on average to develop one hectare will cost Kshs500,000. The target set by the Jubilee Government in the manifesto over a five year plan of 2013 to 2017 aims at increasing the irrigated area by 800,000 hectares, that is, 200,000 hectares per year. This will need a budgetary provision of, at least, Kshs40 billion per year, besides water storage requirements. Financing irrigation development is geared towards rehabilitation and completion of existing schemes, investigations and designs of infrastructure construction of new schemes, development of water storage facilities and capacity building of both technical staff and communities. Sen. (Prof.) Lonyangapuo wanted the Committee to confirm whether the Government is committed in putting over one million acres of land under irrigation during the current financial year as promised by His Excellency the President. The Government is committed in realization of putting the one million acres of land under irrigation in the next five years as promised by His Excellency the President and stipulated in the second MTP. The Government has identified 1.7 million acres which are located in Galana and Kulalu Ranches situated in Tana River and Kilifi Counties, respectively, to achieve the above target. Further, the Government intends to exceed the stated target through nationwide expanded irrigation programmes initiated in 2010 across counties. The Senator also wanted to know from the Committee whether the exercise has commenced and if not, when it will commence, especially in the interest of elapsing time. The exercise has commenced and will be implemented by the Government and other related agricultural sector stakeholders over five year span. For Galana and Kulalu, the Government advertised for expression of interest in June, 2013 to carry out detailed engineering designs and is in the process of awarding the consultancy among major projects being implemented towards one million acres programme which include:- (i) Galana/Kulalu Food Security Project – one million acres (ii) Expanded national irrigation – 500,000 acres. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Senator also wanted to know which areas have been ear- marked for the implementation of the programme, in which counties and also quantify the work done, if any, during the first quarter of the current Financial Year 2013/2014. The Government is already implementing a number of projects across the country to realise one thousand acres---"
}