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Bura Irrigation Scheme farmers urge State to waive their debts

Farmers at the Bura Irrigation Scheme. (Photo: Farhiya Hussein)

By Farhiya Hussein | 21 Apr 2024

The more than 300 farmers noted that despite the government promising to waive the debts, nothing has been done and they are still yoked to the debt collectors.

Farmers in the Bura Irrigation Scheme in Tana River County have appealed to the state to pardon their debt that has hampered their progress.

The more than 300 farmers note that despite the government promising to wave the debts, nothing has been done hence they are still yoked to the debt collectors.

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"The Agricultural Finance Committee still demands money from the farming they sponsored, Equity Bank also wants their money back, we have become slaves," said Moses Kanji, a farmer.

The farmer acknowledged that despite getting loans from the institution, their expectations from the project were not met hence the inability to pay back the loans.

They blame harsh climatic conditions for poor productivity, and also bad seeds that resulted in poor yields hence loss of money.

"For instance, I was expecting Sh300,000 from that farming, but I ended up with Sh40,000, yet my loan was Sh140,000. It was a huge loss for me," said Anna Ng'endo, a farmer.

Farmers at the Bura Irrigation Scheme. (Photo: Farhiya Hussein)

They note that the debt has made them unable to borrow loans to restart their lives as they are blacklisted with the Credit Reference Bureau.

This has caused them to rent their farms to private investors for a small fee, and at the same time become labourers in the farms.

"Sometimes you see what the private investor is harvesting from your farm where you have been a labourer and you go back home feeling so depressed," said Janet Akinyi, a farmer.

Some of the farmers are resolving to sell their spaces to new investors to invest the money elsewhere to return to business.

Whereas a few have been successful, most have been left without farms to till and some as squatters.

A farmer at the Bura Irrigation Scheme. (Photo: Farhiya Hussein)

Most of the children of the farmers have dropped out of school to labour in private rice fields to earn Sh500 for school fees.

"Our lives are defining poverty, many of us are sinking into drugs and substance abuse due to depression, even our children are slowly sinking into this," said John Macharia, another farmer.

They have pleaded with the government to help them settle their creditors and the banks as a means of giving them a shot of life.

Human Rights Activist Fatuma Kitole reiterates that the government should help the farmers so as to return the Bura Irrigation Scheme to the days of its glory.

"This is government for hustlers, this is the time to stand with the indigenous farmers that placed this scheme on the map and books we read in school, "she said.