The National Irrigation Authority (NIA) has issued Sh17 million in compensation cheques to residents who provided land for the way-leave of the Lower Kuja Irrigation Scheme Project.
Speaking during the issuance of the cheques to 80 farmers from Nyakweri area in Nyatike Sub County, the Board Chairman, Eng. Gilbert Maluki said that 427 farmers had been affected by the way leave in the scheme.
Maluki disclosed that the 80 farmers who received their compensation cheques had withdrawn their court case, which prompted their compensation claims.
The compensation process is the first phase that saw Sh17 Million of the 68 million that was set aside to compensate the 427 affected farmers in the irrigation scheme.
Maluki also noted that the majority of the affected farmers have shown willingness to withdraw their cases to expedite their compensation claims.
He said that the authority is planning to compensate all willing parties before June this year to ensure that the project goes on smoothly, with a view to putting more land under irrigation.
The chairman pointed out that the essence of the canal is to increase the production in the Kuja irrigation project, where currently 7,250 acres are under production, with an intention to expand to 19,000 acres in the entire scheme.
He said that the scheme had constructed a 3.7-kilometre canal to put an additional 2,500 acres under production before June this year.
“We have already bush cleared 1,000 acres of the 2,500 that is supported to be placed under irrigation, a good indication that we are on course to subject the expansive land by the end of this financial year,” affirmed Maluki.
The Chairman of the Lower Kuja Irrigation Scheme, Samson Okeyo, explained that the compensation will assist the benefited farmers to improve their agricultural production in the scheme.
Okeyo encouraged those willing to withdraw the case to do so in order to kick start the verification and signing of documents to get their compensation claims.
However, he called upon the national government to help the farmers clear the 1,000 metric tonnes of Gold Rice variety that has not yet been bought.
“Buyers are not buying the Gold Rice Variety from our farmers, and a majority have been stressed up because they are losing the income,” said Okeyo.
He thanked the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) for buying the majority of the rice from farmers, boosting the economic activity of the Nyatike residents.
Nyatike Member of Parliament Tom Odege emphasised that agriculture is fundamental to Kenya’s economy, underscoring the unsustainable nature of rain-fed agricultural practices in arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL).
Odege explained that the Lower Kuja Irrigation Scheme is expected to be a transformative initiative that will create new opportunities for the Nyatike farmers, connecting the region to Kenya’s vast agricultural production systems and generating local employment opportunities.
The MP also championed agriculture as a vital engine for employment growth within the Nyatike community and the rest of Migori County.
Helen Akoth and Lucy Oliech, residents from the Nyakweri area who received their compensation cheques, thanked the NIA for the warm gesture, promising to put the cash back into agricultural enterprise to generate more wealth for their future generations.
By Makokha Khaoya
