National Irrigation Board - Bunyala Irrigation Scheme

Bunyala Irrigation Scheme was started in 1966 as a pilot scheme for the vast Yala swamp and has developed area of over 213ha. It is situated in Busia District and has a total of 131 farmer families each with an average holding of 1.6 ha.

Over the years, the scheme has been stalled due to various factors; inadequate funds, but in 2003 initiatives to resume irrigation water supply and agricultural productions were activated through enhanced Government support towards rehabilitation and expansion of irrigation infrastructure.

Since then, NIB has up-scaled the RRI installing four new pumps for Bunyala, two pumps for Rwambwa, extended infrastructure to Muluwa and sensitized farmers on irrigation management transfer.

Over 2,400 people will benefit directly from the scheme. Government with the support of the worldbank will invest Ksh.1.6 billion to construct irrigation and drainage infrastructure as a long term intervention measure.

A sum of 77,000,000 from the government in support of rehabilitating infrastructure, capacity building for farmers and produced new pumps for Bunyala and Rwambwa Schemes as highlighted below:

Rehabilitation of Main and secondary canal for Bunyala scheme	Ksh 5,000,000
Extension of main canal to outgrower areas	Ksh 2,500,000
Rehabilitation of pumps	Ksh 5,000,000
Installation of new pumps for Bunyala and Rwambwa	Ksh 63,000,000
Farmer’s capacity building on irrigation management transfer	Ksh 1,500,000
TOTAL	77,000,000

1.0 RESULTS OF THE MEDIUM TERM INTERVENTIONS

Following the medium interventions highlighted above;

Farmers have been able to harvest over 4,300 tons of rice with a market value of over 128,000,000 between 2003 and 2006.

With an expanded infrastructure and stabilized irrigation water, up to 500ha will be commanded before September 2007, allowing 300 farmers to crop and harvest an estimate 2,500 tons of rice with a market value of Ksh75million.

3.0 CURRENTLY PROGRAMMED ACTIVITES

Funds that were set aside in the 2007/2008 finacial year will be used to procure the following;

An excavator to facilitate rehabilitation of infrastructure and sustain their maintenance at a cost Ksh. 1.5million
Expansion of main canal and conveyance infrastructure to main scheme and out grower areas at Ksh. 1.5million
Capacity building of farmers in Bunyala, Rwambwa and Muluwa at Ksh 1.5million
Services to identify requirements of rehabilitation of infrastructure and capacity building of farmers under the natural resources management project at 7million

4.0 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS

NIB has signed an agreement with the World bank on the Natural Resources Management Project to supply water by gravity to up to 3,500ha of land on the left bank the Nzoia River.

Feasibility study in Lower Nzoia and improve water management in Mwea is ongoing and will be completed before September 2007.

The main components of the NRN project are;

Feasibility study to identify investment in lower Nzoia and improve water management in Mwea scheme
Construction of irrigation and drainage infrastructure in Lower Nzoia for 3,500ha
Rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage infrastructure in Bunyala Ahero West Kano, Pekerra and Mwea irrigation schemes
Realignment of NIB and capacity building of farmers’ organizations.

The NRM project will be complete in 2012 at an estimate cost of Ksh 1.6billion