Lower Kuja Rice Scheme outperforms national average at 3.6 tonnes
Marion Obuya and Makokha Khaoya-KNA
Farmers from the Lower Kuja Irrigation Scheme in Nyatike Sub County, Migori County have been praised for the rice productivity that has surpassed the national average production per acre.
According to The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) National Irrigation Authority (NIA), Eng. Charles Muasya, the Lower Kuja Rice scheme has been producing 3.6 tonnes per acre as compared to the national average production of 2.8 tonnes per acre.
Muasya, who spoke during the issuance of cheques worth Sh15.2 million to compensate farmers affected by the infrastructural expansion of the Kuja Irrigation, said that the scheme's rice productivity surpassed all the rice schemes in the country, making it a major productive system in rice production.
The Sh 152 million compensation package will benefit 177 farmers after a wayleave agreement between farmers and NIA for the canal passages in the Lower Kuja Irrigation Scheme.
In April this year, NIA gave out a land compensation package of Sh17 million to 77 farmers in the Lower Kuja Irrigation scheme, bringing the total cash compensation to Sh 36 million.
The government, through NIA, had promised to pay Sh 68 million to compensate all the affected farmers in the scheme to open up the 19,000 acres scheme for irrigation.
The current 7,200-acre scheme under rice production is able to generate an annual income of Sh 3.7 billion, making it one of the viable economic ventures in Migori County.
The official, however, disclosed that the remaining compensation package of Sh 32 million can be paid before the end of the 2025/2026 Financial Year (FY) if the court cases by affected farmers are withdrawn and consent forms signed.
Muasya encouraged farmers to invest the money in the project to ensure the revenue generated from the scheme benefits the Nyatike community and Migori County.
Already, farmers in the scheme have a ready market with the National Cereal and Produce Board (NCPB) opening a depot in the area.
He also said that the NIA will continue partnering with the county government to ensure all roads within the scheme are accessible and in good condition to boost rice productivity in the region.
“We have a vibrant workforce working for NIA, Lower Kuja Irrigation Scheme, farmers and the county government to advise, help and improve productivity to revamp rice production in the Nyatike,” said Muasya.
The Chair, National Irrigation Authority (NIA) Eng. Gilbert Maluki explained that NIA has a strategic plan to ensure all the 19,000 acres in the Lower Kuja Irrigation Scheme are placed under production.
Maluki disclosed that in the next two to three years, they will be doing infrastructure with a budget of around Sh 700 million to realize the full potential of the Migori-based irrigation scheme.
Already, farmers in the scheme are paying operational and maintenance costs of around 4,000 per acre per year to ensure roads, canals, on-farm roads and culverts are passable.
He, however, called upon those farmers who received the compensation fee to reinvest in the scheme to empower themselves economically as well as retain the cash flow in the county.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Lower Kuja Irrigation Scheme, Okeyo Oremo, urged the residents to do land succession to rightfully claim the compensation package.
Oremo also called upon the government to improve on infrastructure like the inroads, access roads, check gates and access culvert to boost a good transport network for better productivity in the scheme.
Grace Akinyi, a beneficiary of the compensation fee, said that she will reinvest the cash in the rice scheme to empower herself economically and secure a monetary future for her children.
She thanked the NIA team for processing the cash in time, while at the same time, encouraging farmers who took NIA to court to withdraw the cases, so as to benefit from their rightful and birthright inheritance of the scheme.