Reprieve for Isiolo farmers as irrigation project nears completion

Oldonyiro is set to become a bread basket for Isiolo County as an ongoing national government’s multimillion irrigation project nears completion.

Dido and Sons Contractors, who were assigned the work, have already announced that the Oldonyiro irrigation project which started in 2015 and which had been delayed due to lack of funds, will be completed in three months’ time.

Already, a four-kilometre canal where water from nearby River Ewaso Nyiro will pass through to the farms is complete, with pipe connections to the 2,000-acre farms currently underway.

So far, about Sh300 million has been injected into the project which will make the region food secure and do away with dependency on rain-fed agriculture which in most cases results in little yields.

PERSISTENT DROUGHT

Residents have been practicing mixed farming and are among those hard hit by hunger in the county due to persistent drought occasioned by unpredictable weather patterns, which largely affects their animals and farm productivity.

Speaking when he visited the site with engineers from the National Irrigation Authority and other government officials, Isiolo North MP Hassan Odha said the project will improve residents’ livelihoods and eradicate frequent famines experienced in the region.

At least 2,000 households will benefit from the project which will irrigate farms in Lebarsherik, Namelok and Tepes among other areas and whose turbine has the capacity to pump 1.5 cubic metres of water per second.

The legislator said the project will have high density pumps capable of pumping water to a 17-kilometre radius and that its first phase will see 500 acres irrigated before moving up to 2,000 acres later.

WATER SHORTAGE

To mitigate the expected shortage of water supply to the farms due to reducing water levels in River Ewaso Nyiro due to drought and sand harvesting, the MP said tanks will be installed to store water during normal season for use when drought strikes.

But before the tanks are purchased, farmers will be advised on the best type of crops to plant during the three months in a year, preferably the fast maturing ones which require little water.

Mr Odha said before the project is commissioned, farmers will be taught on modern farming methods for increased productivity.

“They (farmers) will be taught on new food production techniques, the type of crops to plant and disease control in efforts to ensure maximum productivity,” the MP said.

He appealed to residents to also take advantage of the project to plant grass for livestock to salvage them from dying when the dry spell hits.

The legislator appealed to the Governor Mohamed Kuti’s administration to consider deploying extension officers to assist the community in sustaining the project once its commissioned and handed over to the county government.

The National Irrigation Authority will also train youth from the area on repair and maintenance of the pipes should breakages occur.