ADC has secured 500,000 acres from grabbers - Salat

Agricultural Development Corporation Chairman Nick Salat (left) speaks to press [File]

The Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) has secured 500,000 acres of Galana Kulalu land that was on the verge of being illegally alienated.

This is according the corporation’s Chairman Nick Salat, who said in the last few years the firm’s board has been following up the issues affecting any parcel of land within the 1.7 million acres that it owns.  

“We have been working with the lands and legal committee to ensure that we get an extension of the ranch lease,” he said yesterday during an update on the firm’s activities.

Last year, ADC protested against the encroachment on some parts of the Galana Kulalu land within Tana River and Kilifi counties by some people.

The firm through Mr Salat wrote a letter to Lands Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney and copied it to the National Land Commission, head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, Agriculture CS Peter Munya and Treasury’s Ukur Yatani.

Salat says steps have also been taken by the board to secure ADC A I Centre land after it was reported last year that there were strangers purporting to be the owners of the approximately 57 acres, which the corporation has owned since the 1970s.

"The board is working closely with the management to ensure that the whistle blower policy, which is a necessary tool for administration, has been formulated and adopted,” Salat said.

The corporation has also embarked on programmes to increase productivity in beef and dairy enterprises.