FILE PHOTO | NMG
The Treasury has put the controversial Galana-Kulalu irrigation scheme on the back-burner, allocating a paltry Sh10 million in 2020/21 after denying it money in the current financial year.
While the National Irrigation Authority (NIA) had anticipated Sh9 billion in the year starting July 1 for the “model farms”, the Treasury plans to invest Sh10 million per year on the flood security project, up to 2022.
The Sh10 million allocation in the budget is for normal operations and maintenance for the section of the farm that the NIA took over from an Israeli contractor,” Charles Muasya, Galana-Kulalu Food Security project manager told the Business Daily in a telephone interview.
Mr Muasya said the model farm is sustaining itself and the NIA preparing 1,500 acres of land to be put under crop.
The NIA took over the works at the 10,000-acre farm last year after falling out with the contractor Green Arava, overpayment issues.