Over a long period of time, the Northern parts of Kenya has been known to be non -earing places. Parts and names like Turkana often evoke images of drought, hunger and endless relief efforts yet beneath this perception, their lies a vast opportunity waiting by visionary leaders.
The Kenyan government in collaboration with the county governments in the region should take bold and deliberate steps to transform Northern Kenya into a national irrigation scheme and a food production hub to reduce the burden of imports. This initiative does only fight hunger but also redefine country’s economic prosperity.
The first impact after reclaiming of the North will be guaranteed food security for our growing nation. As Kenya’s population is increasingly growing, the demand for food surplus is outgrowing the production. Majorly, the country continues to depend on rain fed regions like the western and the central parts of the country which is not enough and unpredictable due to rapid climate changes that are occurring.
Changing and turning the Northern parts of Kenya into irrigation scheme would increase and diversify the country’s food sources and cushion the country from food crisis instead of waiting for the rainfall to produce cereals like maize and vegetables annually.
Irrigation project in the North will also foster economic transformation and increase employment opportunities. A government supported irrigation scheme would help to create thousands of jobs including construction and engineering, farming and agribusiness to many youths who are currently facing high unemployment crisis in the country.
Towns like Isiolo and Lodwar will become agricultural innovation centers just like Mwea and Ahero transformed theirs due to irrigation scheme programmes.
Moreover, government investing in the North will foster national unity as it will be more of a national initiative rather than private one. Integration of the region into the national food and economic grid would reduce feelings of neglect that often fuel insecurity and dissatisfaction in the region as development will be a form of peace strategy.
Contrary to the popular beliefs by many that Northern Kenya is barren, the government should be able to emulate country’s that shares the same ecological conditions like Egypt and Israel which have transformed their deserts to becoming one of the most powerful food producing hubs in the world. With modern irrigation technology like drip systems, solar powered pumps and water recycling, the Northern parts could become productive if the government takes charge.
Kenya’s North does not need pity and food donations, it only needs policy visions from the the government for it to turn into a vast irrigation zone which will not only secure the region but also re write the country’s history from one of famine areas to food production hub.
