Authority Assures Rice Farmers in Kano of getting modern water pumping machine

 

Mr Joel Tanui , the  National Irrigation Authority Acting Deputy General Manager in charge of Operations{In Black Coat} gives his submissions before the National Assembly Committee on Public Petitions yesterday at West Kano Irrigation Scheme in Kisumu-Story and Photo By Dickson Odhiambo

By Dickson Odhiambo

May 31, 2023

Authority Assures  Rice Farmers in Kano of getting modern water pumping machine

THE Rice Farmers at the West Kano Irrigation Scheme in Kisumu will have a modern water pumping machine by December this year.

The National Irrigation Authority says it will begin the process of procuring a new water pump for the rice farmers at West Kano Irrigation Scheme in the next financial year that begins this July.

Presenting his submissions to the National Assembly Public Petitions Committee led by its vice Chair Janet Sitienei that was on a fact finding mission at the West Kano Irrigation Scheme in Kisumu, the  National Irrigation Authority the Deputy General Manager in charge of Operations Joel Tanui said the process of procuring the modern water pump will take about three to four months beginning July.

Tanui says the water Pump that used to serve the West Kano Irrigation Scheme was taken to Ahero Irrigation scheme in the year 2006 when there was a serious problem that needed to be urgently solved.

Tanui was reacting to the West Kano Irrigation Scheme Farmers’ sentiment before the committee where they demanded the water pump to be brought back to them.

He says the Old water pump will now be replaced with the new one that will be acquired from either South Africa or Germany.

He adds that the Authority will now decommission the old water pump.

“Beginning of the next financial year which is from July this year, the National Irrigation Authority will commence the process of procuring a new water pumping machine for the rice Farmers at the West Kano irrigation scheme,” Tanui says.

The National Irrigation Authority has urged the Rice farmers at the said scheme to be very patient as the issue of the water pump is being sorted out once and for all.

The Vice Chair of the National Assembly Public Petitions Committee Janet Sitienei who chaired the session urged the National Irrigation Authority to be fully committed in the revival of rice farming across the country so as to help the country realize the issue of food security.

The Law Maker says the Government needs to revitalize rice farming in various parts of the country.

The Committee has been on a fact finding mission after a section of rice farmers within the West Kano Irrigation Scheme led by Pastor Patrick Ochieng Odindo petitioned Parliament while alleging the misappropriation of funds that were used for the implementation of the Economic Stimulus Program{ESP} between the year 2009 and 2010.