At least 100 farmers along River Daua in Mandera East whose equipment were washed away by raging floods have benefited from the constituency fund kitty.
Through the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF), Mandera East MP Omar Maalim distributed 100 water pump generators to revive irrigation farming.
“We have managed to procure 100 generators for farmers practicing irrigation and whose pumps were washed away by floods. I am appealing for other entities to chip in and support these farmers,” said Mr Maalim.
Mandera East NG-CDF has spent Sh15 million on the generators.
According to the MP, the farmers need seeds for their farms and flood controlling measures along the river.
DYKES AND GABIONS
“My office cannot build dykes and gabions along the river due to limited funds but if several other partners come on board, including the county government, then together we can solve the flooding problem,” he said.
The floods as a result of River Daua bursting its banks last month uprooted hundreds of people from their farms and destroyed crops, disrupting livelihoods of farmers and sand harvesters living along the river.
It was estimated that at least 8,000 people were affected by the floods across Mandera County.
Heavy rains in the Ethiopian highlands caused havoc in Mandera, a county that never recorded a single drop of rainfall.
The county’s food security was threatened by floods and locusts invasion but farmers have vowed to do their best.
WASHED AWAY
“All the equipment I had on my farm were washed away by floods and my attempts to recover the same have been futile but I thank God since through NG-CDF I have another machine,” said Mr Hassan Ibrahim, a farmer from Neboi.
Ms Halima Issack, representing a group of women who do crop farming along the river, was all smiles as she received the water pump generators.
“Our women farming group has been wondering where to get another water pump generator after we lost what we had to floods. I am happy we have a new one and now will be able to supply vegetables to the market,” she said.
She said it was the third time the group was losing equipment due to flooding.
“Most of the times floods get us by surprise. You will be in the farm during the day and when you return the next day you find the same farm flooded when it has not rained in Mandera,” she said.
The farmers were advised to ensure they permanently install their equipment on the farms to prevent them from being washed away by floods.