NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 16 – The government is scaling up investment in irrigation to enhance the country’s food production capacity, President William Ruto has said.
He said irrigation will help the country increase acreage under cultivation and stop reliance on rain-fed agriculture.
President Ruto said the government’s KSh60 billion investment in water projects will help the country reduce the importation of food that can be produced locally.
“Every year, we spend KSh500 billion to import food produced by farmers from other countries. We want this money to go to our own farmers,” he said.
He spoke in Nyeri and Kiambu counties where he commissioned the Mathira Community Water Supply Project and Gatundu South’s Rwabura Irrigation Project respectively.
The President said the government will continue supporting farmers through subsidised fertiliser to enhance productivity and increase their earnings.
He said coffee and tea farmers will also benefit from subsidised fertiliser that will be available in their respective cooperative societies and factories, respectively.
President Ruto urged parents to take advantage of the government’s investment in education and take their children to school, college and university, saying education is the greatest equaliser in society.
He said the government is keen on creating jobs for the youth to ensure their training does not go to waste.
“We want you to use your training, talents and knowledge to drive our national development agenda and earn decent incomes,” he said.
The Head of State asked the youth to take advantage of ICT hubs being developed in every ward to acquire digital skills that will enable them to earn a living from online jobs.
President Ruto said the last mile electricity connectivity programme will be revived to ensure that more Kenyans are connected to power.
The President reiterated the importance of the Affordable Housing Bill that is before Parliament. He urged the legislators to pass the Bill and give tens of thousands of Kenyans the opportunity to work and earn a living at various housing projects countrywide.
“We have very many unemployed youth who will get jobs in the affordable housing programme,” he said.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua asked Kenyans to support the President so that the government’s development agenda can be achieved.
“My focus is to support you (President Ruto) to succeed,” he added.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungw’a exuded confidence that the Affordable Housing Bill will pass in Parliament with ease, saying it has the support of both the ruling and opposition parties.
“Our colleagues in the opposition have agreed with us that the affordable housing project will benefit youth from all parts of the country,” he said.
Present at the functions were Governors Mutahi Kahiga (Nyeri) and Kimani Wamatangi (Kiambu), MPs and MCAs.
