Kenya’s Vihiga County is piloting a Sh48 million irrigation scheme aimed to improve the production of leafy vegetables on the Emabungo-Wemilabi farm in Central Bunyore.
Governor Wilber Ottichilo said: “The pilot programme is going on at Emabungo-Wemilabi in Luanda. The environment impact assessment was done. We expect farmers to plant around the year.”
According to the County Agriculture Department, the unit intends to grow the African leafy vegetables on 1,493 acres of land. Dr Ottichilo said the irrigation project would make the region food secure and supply its surplus to the rest of the market.
“We are reading for irrigation farming through this pilot program because we don’t want our farmers to be dependent on rainfall agriculture,” he said.
The county has allocated funds to curb soil erosion and landslides in selected areas ahead of the roll out the irrigation farming. Dr Ottichilo said this is a measure that is intended to ensure soil is conserved and avoid losing the nutritious top layer to the rivers whenever erosion and landslides occur.
[ Sh100 = € 0,79 ]
Source: businessdailyafrica.com