Irrigation projects in the country for instance, have received a total of Sh13.8 billion which consists of a Sh10.3 billion allocation to the National Irrigation board and Sh3.5 billion towards the Galana Project/FILE
Irrigation projects in the country for instance, have received a total of Sh13.8 billion which consists of a Sh10.3 billion allocation to the National Irrigation board and Sh3.5 billion towards the Galana Project.
“We are continuing to invest in irrigated agriculture, partly to build resilience in our economy and assure food security for our people throughout the year,” National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich said during the reading of the budget.
The government has also invested Sh29.5billion into water supply and sanitation while Sh2.1 billion has been allocated towards water storage and flood control.
Environmental protection conservation and management is also a big winner with an allocation of a total of Sh12.6 billion.
“Business agriculture is steadily gaining traction in our country and a number of Kenyans, including the youth have recently ventured into agri-business as a viable commercial venture,” he said.
Rotich continued by saying that the government was therefore taking a step into supporting the different sectors in agribusinesses. The sectors in question include fisheries development which has received a total allocation of Sh3.1 billion, strategic grain reserves which received Sh2.7 billion and land tilting which received Sh3.5 billion among others.
The government is also investing Sh600million into the Kenya Meat Commission in an attempt to revive it. Additionally, the government has also allocated Sh300million into the pyrethrum sector in a move to also revive it.
Mwea irrigation scheme farmers are also big gainers in the 2015/2016 budget as they will receive a compensation valued at Sh1.2 billion from the government while Sh1billion will be invested into writing off the coffee debt.
The Cabinet Secretary also took the opportunity to announce the government’s plan of introducing a raft of tax incentives for new investment in water facilities and small holder irrigation equipment over the next few months.
