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CS rejects push to hive off part of Tarda’s 25,875ha
Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of EAC, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development Peninah Malonza before the Public Petitions Committee at Continental Houses Nairobi on October 25, 2023. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NMG
The State has rejected a push to hive off part of the 25,875 hectares that President William Ruto had directed be put under rice and sugarcane irrigation through a public-private partnership in Tana Delta.
The EAC and ASALs Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza said the government targets to produce 30,000 acres of hybrid rice to address food insecurity.
President Ruto commissioned the Tana Delta Irrigation Project (TDIP) in July and Agri All African Limited has been cleared to invest in the production of rice on 500 acres up from the current 100 acres at the test farm.
Ms Malonza told Parliament to reject a petition by residents of Tana Delta asking MPs to approve a review of the boundaries of the land held by Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority (Tarda) which was allocated the vast land in 1997.
Tarda has only managed to put 4,700 hectares of the 25,875 hectares under irrigation. A part of the 4,700 hectares has been put under irrigation through the Galana Kulalu maize project.
“Tarda strongly opposes the proposed review of the boundaries of its land LR 28026 in the Tana Delta. The government allocated us a title deed in 1997,” Ms Malonza said.
“Varying the boundaries will have detrimental consequences if the part of the land that extends south of the Garsen Constituency is hived off.”
Ms Malonza said hiving off the land on the southern part of the road to Garsen-Lamu will cut off a part of Tana River that Tarda will rely on its waters for rice irrigation.
“We have conducted extensive feasibility studies and confirmed the suitability of the land to produce rice and sugarcane. The government has spent more than Sh6 billion on the project,” she said.
