Sh13.8b set aside for irrigation schemes in Kenya

NAIROBI: One of the Jubilee government's agriculture flagship projects, the Galana-Kulalu Irrigation Scheme, was allocated Sh3.5 billion in this year's budget. This was part of Sh13.8 billion set aside for irrigation projects countrywide.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich said on completion of the 10,000-acre model farm, it would be expanded to 100,000 acres.

Farmers in Mwea will also benefit from Sh1.2 billion for compensation while coffee farmers were allocated Sh1 billion for debt write-off.

TAX INCENTIVES

While delivering the 2015-2016 Budget, Mr Rotich also proposed the introduction of tax incentives for the purchase of irrigation equipment to boost food production.

The Government aims to put one million acres of land under irrigation in the next five years at a cost of Sh400 billion. It hopes to have 500,000 acres of land under maize production, 200,000 acres under sugar cane farming, 150,000 acres for rearing beef and game animals, 50,000 acres under horticulture, 50,000 acres for dairy farming and the remaining 50,000 acres to grow fruits.

Rotich also set aside Sh3 billion for inputs subsidy and another Sh2.7 billion for strategic grain reserves.

Some Sh3.1 billion was set aside for fisheries development and another Sh0.6 billion to revive the Kenya Meat Commission. The pyrethrum sector got Sh0.3 for revival and Sh3.5 billion was allocated for land titling.