Selu Limited, a key investor in the Galana-Kulalu irrigation project, has announced a significant investment of $80 million (Sh13 billion) over the next three years, following a successful pilot phase last year.
This move aims to expand the company’s operations over 20,000 acres within the project.
The company’s pilot phase saw record-breaking maize yields of up to 35, 90kg bags per acre, the highest in Galana Kulalu’s history and quadruple the national average. This success has spurred plans for further expansion.
Selu Limited, a firm associated with former Twiga Foods Managing Director Peter Njonjo, has completed the initial development phase of 500 acres, conducting a feasibility study for large-scale commercial maize farming on the 1.75 million-acre government-owned ranch.
Nicholas Ambanya, CEO of Selu Limited, remarked on the pilot’s success, noting the exceptional maize yields as a historic achievement for Galana Kulalu and a significant boost for Kenya’s maize production.
“The project has significant potential to impact Kenya’s food security, with the 20,000 acres of land set for commercialization, and with the high level of productivity to substantially boost Kenya’s annual maize production,” Ambanya said.
The implementation of the project was a collaborative effort with a consortium comprising LEAF Africa, Campo-Brazil, and BrazAfric Group, contributing their expertise in large-scale tropical commercial farm management.
The upcoming investment will focus on full-scale irrigation, smart agriculture, and renewable energy solutions to aim for carbon-neutral food production, positively impacting the local communities’ social and economic conditions.
The development of the Galana-Kulalu project, as a public-private partnership, aligns with the government’s goal of achieving food security in Kenya.
Selu Limited, formed to invest in and revolutionize the Galana Kulalu irrigation project through innovative and sustainable farming practices, initiated several key projects for the development phase of the pilot.
The collaboration with the Leaf, Campo, and BrazAfric consortium is a strategic move, drawing on Campo’s over 40 years of experience in tropical agriculture, including the management of about 243,200 hectares (circa 600,000 acres) in Brazil.
“The Galana Kulalu Project will not only advance agriculture but also positively transform the social and environmental landscape of the surrounding communities,” the company stated.
