Kilifi: The Galana Kulalu Food Security Project is making significant strides, with major infrastructure and agricultural milestones recorded so far. Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eric Mugaa made the remarks when he toured the expansive project located in Kilifi and Tana River counties to assess ongoing developments. He was accompanied by the Principal Secretary for Irrigation, CPA Ephantus Kimotho, Irrigation Secretary Joel Tanui, and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Irrigation Authority (NIA), Eng. Charles Muasya, alongside other senior government officials.

According to Kenya News Agency, this project is a key pillar of the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). It demonstrates the government’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and ensuring food security for all Kenyans. Key infrastructure developments observed during the tour include the Galana bridge, which is currently at 50 percent completion. Once finalized, the bridge will ease the movement of agricultural inputs and personnel across the farm.

In addition, major water infrastructures have been completed, including a two-kilometer lined canal and a 550,000-cubic-metre reservoir. These facilities are already supporting the irrigation of seed maize. The Cabinet Secretary reaffirmed the government’s support for the initiative, stating that the Galana Kulalu project is central to Kenya’s long-term food security strategy. He emphasized that the project represents a bold step forward for agricultural transformation.

The project, managed by the National Irrigation Authority under a public-private partnership framework, is envisioned to become a national food hub serving both domestic and regional markets. NIA CEO Eng. Charles Muasya noted that the water systems are fully functional and critical to the project’s success, ensuring reliable irrigation and allowing for year-round crop production in the region.

A private partner to the project, Selu Limited, has so far planted 1,060 acres of seed maize. The firm aims to increase coverage to 1,500 acres in the next three weeks, with a target of 3,200 acres by the end of the year. The first crop, planted in May, is expected to mature by early October, with subsequent cropping cycles scheduled to ensure continued production.