Magic water turning hostile Turkana into food basket

A Turkana woman tastes water which was installed by Ministry of Water and National resources at Napuu area of Turkana Central.

For the past two years, Pauline Longiro has not experienced food shortage following a bumper harvest from her maize farm on the shores of River Turkwel in Turkana County.

Like other women, who had suffered drought for long, the 42-year-old mother of seven, has been irrigating her farm on the shores of the river. And she could soon be increasing her maize production from 10 to 30 bags following Government plans to increase land under irrigation to more than 200,000 hectares in her Napuu village

Napuu is in Lokitipi plains where 207 billion cubic litre aquifer was discovered last year by the Government and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco). It was announced that there was massive groundwater reserves in Turkana which the Government now wants to use to irrigate thousands of hectares of land.

Mrs Longiro, who has been irrigating about two acres of maize and vegetables, is among hundreds of residents to benefit from a Sh70 million pilot project by the Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA). The first phase of the project, according to KVDA Managing Director David Kimosop will start with a pilot project of 130 hectares.

Positive results

Of this, they aim to produce more than 12 million bags of maize in the next two years, a move that could cut the country’s maize deficit by 40 per cent.

Mr Kimosop says KVDA, through crop production, is trying to eradicate cattle rustling and border conflicts among communities. This will also see locals diverse their lifestyle from livestock, which will end displacements and constant fights with their neighbours, the Pokots and Karamojong from neighbouring Uganda.

He says: “We are planning to irrigate the first 130 hectares by the end of this year and progress up to 200,000 hectares. We want to optimise the use of the aquifers and make Turkana a food basket in the near future.”

This will be good news to Turkana County residents who for long have been categorised as food and water insecure by the County Rapid Food Security Assessment Report by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA). The county has a population of 855,399 according to 2009 census.

For long residents have been relying on relief food from the Government and donors.

When The Standard on Saturday visited Napuu recently, we established that multinational water company, Davis & Shirtliff had completed drilling of five boreholes, about 6km from Lodwar town. The water will also be pumped to Lodwar.

Already, more than 500 solar panels each of 240 volts have been mounted. The solar power will pump about 1,000 litres of water in a minute and will serve private farms as well. Women are happy with the recent happenings: “I used to walk for about 13 kilometers to fetch water,” says a lady who met our team at one water point.

Environment and Natural resources Cabinet Secretary Judi Wakhungu says the underground water is an opportunity for Turkana to build her wealth other than oil: “This newly found wealth of water opens a door to a more prosperous future for the people of Turkana and the nation as a whole. We must now work to further explore these resources responsibly and safeguard them for future generations.”

Water and Irrigation Permanent Secretary (PS) James Teko Lopoyetum asked residents to take advantage of the availability of water and KVDA’s goodwill.

Speaking at a public baraza in Napuu, the PS said the groundwater had relieved River Turkwel: “This will go along way to increase food production in the county. We are also seeing possibility of doing massive irrigation project in the near future.”

He said once the 130 hectares succeeds, the best system of irrigating the farms will be announced.

He said other than cereals, fruits and vegetables will be grown in the farms adding the Government will provide subsidised seeds and fertiliser to farmers.

Green house

Truphena Lopede, who lives nearby is reaping the fruits as her vegetable garden is doing well. “I planted cow peas and I am happy they are doing well. I will be expanding my farm to enable me grow more by end of this month,” she said.

But some residents are jittery on how their land would be used. In another public baraza in Nawoitorong area where KVDA has initiated a green house project, residents asked if their land had been taken over.

John Ekupe a resident said: “We welcome the project but we should be assured that nobody is taking away our land.”

Peter Emuron said there have been a lot of irrigation projects, which have since failed and wanted to know how this was different.

Beatrice Askul Moe, County Executive for Environment and Water said while all energy was being diverted to crop production, the community should also be helped in animal production. “We are a pastoralist community and according to me, we (Turkanas) can’t do away with animals any time soon. I think those who want to help the locals here should also think of improving their livestock.”

She, however, welcomed the use of the water aquifer for irrigation saying Rivers Kerio and Turkwel had been over used in irrigating farms thereby causing water shortage downstream.

According to Kimosop, initially, water usage was poor with many litres going to waste. He said his authority had educated farmers on how to utilise the water. “In fact for the past two years, we have had river Turkwel running permanently,” he said, “by this time two years ago, the river was drying up. The county requires more human resources, especially after the discovery of underground water and oil.”

The 22 existing irrigation schemes in Turkana according to National Irrigation Scheme chairman Dr Sammy Letema cover a total of 10,000 acres and are expected to produce a total of 150,000 bags of maize during the coming harvest season.

Long term

Some of the irrigation schemes in Loima include: Nanyee, Tisa, Turkwel,Kangalita, Kalemunyang, Kabulokor, Nakamane, Kaliooro, Nagis, Nadapal, Napeikar, Kodopa, Napak, Kalomegur, Kapelibok, Katilu, Loyapat, Juluk, Lomopus, Nakwamoru, Koputiro, Simailale, Morulem, Lokubae, Elelea among others.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Kosgei said the Government is focusing on irrigation as a long-term measure to boost agricultural production and reduce reliance on rain-fed farming as contained in the Jubilee manifesto.

He said officers at the grassroots have been directed to carry out capacity building for farmers, provide seed capital and drought recovery seeds with a view to ensuring the success of irrigation schemes in arid areas.

“The officers also have instructions to ensure they develop appropriate packages for the arid areas,” he said.

But MPs from the region warned of errant contractors who take ages to complete projects.

Turkana Central MP John Lodepe and his Turkana East counterpart Nicholas Ngikor said for a long time, contractors assigned to establish irrigation schemes meant to boost food production in the region often take too long to complete the projects.

Lodepe said the hunger in Turkana could have been contained had contractors finished establishing irrigation schemes in Turkana.