Farmers in Nyamila, West Ugenya Ward, have witnessed a remarkable transformation in their region, shifting from a flood-prone area to a thriving agricultural zone, largely due to the government’s intervention. The construction of canals to counter recurrent flood, an activity carried out from the Mlambo Dam has greatly contributed to this change.
Until few years back, the area could not be accessed, was totally deserted and was deemed unsafe due to frequent floods. As a result of that, through control of water flow, the land has become productive and suitable for large scale farming. This intervention has enabled farmers within the region to grow a range of cash crops which has drastically transformed the situation in the area.
This change was welcomed by Mr. Julius Onyango, a local farmer, who noted that although crops need water it does not have to be rain; it has to be controlled irrigation. “I appreciate the authorities for having made what used to be an inaccessible, unfarmed, and a no-go area, now to be a productive piece of agricultural land complete with plenty of water to grow any kind of crop throughout the year,” said Onyango.
His hopes are bright and doesn’t think that Nyamila will not change for the better since he now practices rice farming on his 4-acre piece of land. With the new infrastructure, its supposed that all farmers in the area will utilize the 600 acres of fertile land, which is very key for the supply of raw materials to the Usonga Siriwo Rice Mill.
Other farmers are also reaping the new benefits of change. Another farmer from the area, Joseph Odiwuor has also planted cotton on his one and half acre piece of land. He is well abreast of the encouraging tomorrow anticipating a yield of Ksh. 100, 000 per harvest from a yield of 1, 600kgs of cotton. On the other hand, Julius Onyango hopes to earn up to 500, 000 shillings from the rice crop from which he hopes to get 3,500 kilograms per acre. The possibility to grow such crops has not only enhanced their living standards but has as well transformed Nyamila into a productive agricultural sector adding up to other important sectors such as Bunyala, Usonga, and Anyiko of the sub-sector.
While on a field visit to engage farmers and farmer groups on modalities of increasing production across various Agricultural value chains, the Chief Executive Committee Member for Agricultural, Food Security, Livestock, and Blue Economy, Hon. K’Okoth Sylvestre promised the farmers to increase support. He pledged to work with the Department of Water as well as Roads to (inter alia) drain and irrigate and install and unlock culverts and access roads toward mechanization and elevate agricultural yields.
Hon. Sylvestre encouraged farmers by saying that extension officers would be available to promptly assist them in adopting correct agronomic practices and propounded a goal of attaining 4,000 kgs of rice and 2,000 kgs of cotton per acre of land. This move comes at the backdrop of Governor James Orengo’s vision towards making a worthy transformation of the agricultural sector under the Nyalore Administration.