I’ll evaluate viability of Galana-Kulalu irrigation project, Agriculture CS nominee says

The controversial food production project at the Galana-Kulalu irrigation scheme featured in the vetting for the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary nominee Andrew Karanja on Friday.

The vetting committee wanted to know his plans for the project and other stalled projects meant for food production across the country.

Karanja said he would organise an evaluation of the viability of the Galana-Kulalu project to ascertain if the government should go ahead and implement it or not.

"I will plan an evaluation to see if the project is working or not. I have worked on projects such as these before, therefore we will do an analysis if I am approved,” said Kranja.

Karanja, who is set to take over from Mithika Linturi, said he will also evaluate projects of a similar nature should he get the nod of the vetting committee.

Likuyani MP Enoch Kibungachi put the nominee to task on the use of irrigation to promote food security in the country after he said that the irrigation docket is under the Water ministry.

"Tell us what you will do about irrigation. Do not tell us there is nothing you can do because irrigation is basically part of Agriculture," said Kibunguchi.

In his defence, Karanja said that logically, the irrigation portfolio is supposed to be in Agriculture.

"I would love to have irrigation under my docket but I will have to be guided by the appointing authority."

The ambitious Galana-Kulalu food security project almost collapsed due to mismanagement that saw Kenyans lose billions of shillings.

The government has, however, reignited the project, with the National Irrigation Authority (NIA) finalising the setting up of key irrigation infrastructure on the farm as production in the completed zones continues.

Parliament has questioned why the project had consumed Sh14 billion for only 10,000 acres – meaning that every acre consumed Sh1.4 million and produced only 22 bags of maize.

The project started during the tenure of Felix Koskei as Agriculture Cabinet Secretary and was deemed to be the answer to Kenya's perennial shortage of maize and the cost of the staple crop.