Nairobi: Kenya has marked a significant milestone with the launch of its first seed maize harvest from the flagship Galana-Kulalu Food Security Project, achieved through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. The Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, Eng. Eric Mugaa, who presided over the launch Saturday, hailed the successful yield of about 860,000 kilogrammes of seed maize from 330 of the 1,500 acres cultivated by private investor Selu Limited.
According to Kenya News Agency, the government and Selu Limited anticipate an average yield of 30 bags of maize per acre, each weighing 90 kilograms, from the 330 acres. The remaining 1,170 acres are currently under seed maize cultivation at various stages of growth. Eng. Mugaa stated that the government, through the National Irrigation Authority (NIA), had invested Sh519 million in supporting infrastructure. This includes a 20,000-cubic-metre intake well, a two-kilometre lined canal, a 550,000-cubic-metre water reservoir and a 20,000-cubic-metre offtake pump.
Selu Limited has deployed nine centre pivots and plans to expand to 3,200 acres by the end of the year, with a target of 5,400 acres by June 2026. The long-term objective is to open up 20,000 acres of the approximately 200,000 acres earmarked for agricultural production by the government. ‘This project is living proof that with proper support from the government, the national assembly and the private sector working together, it is possible to address the challenge of food insecurity in the country,’ said Eng. Mugaa.
He noted that the initiative aligns with the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and is expected to save the country between Sh400 billion and Sh600 billion worth of food imports annually. Irrigation Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho revealed that the ministry is in discussions with other private entities currently conducting trials to explore possibilities of opening the remaining 180,000 acres. To facilitate this, the government is planning to build a mega dam, he said.
CPA Kimotho emphasised the value of PPPs, stating, ‘The advantage of partnering with private entities is that they bring in technology and a business mindset, which ensures high efficiency.’ He added that by-products from the harvested seed maize would be repurposed into fodder for sale to livestock farmers.
Selu Limited CEO Nicholas Ambanya said the company aims to open and cultivate 20,000 acres within the next three years. ‘We have opened 1,500 acres, which are being cultivated using nine centre pivots. By year-end, we expect to have cropped 3,200 acres,’ he said. Ambanya said the project has so far created 200 jobs, with a projected workforce of 2,000 at full capacity. He added that the company would also collaborate with local communities in areas such as health and education as part of its corporate social responsibility efforts.
The Chairman of the National Assembly Committee on the Blue Economy and Irrigation, Kangogo Bowen, expressed his satisfaction with the project’s progress, particularly following the allocation of Sh519 million to the NIA by the August House. The launch was also attended by the Chairman of the National Irrigation Authority, Eng. Gilbert Maluki and NIA Chief Executive Officer, Eng. Charles Muasya, alongside other senior officials.