Twiga Foods, an agri-tech company, has made a significant announcement regarding the transfer of its rights to the Galana Kulalu Food Security Project. The company has entrusted the development, management, and operation of the project to Selu Limited, a specialized firm established for this purpose.
Selu Limited is a collaborative effort involving several companies, including Campos, a prominent farm management company overseeing extensive farmland in Latin America with a climate akin to that of Kenya, and AgCo, a leading US-based global provider of precision agriculture technology.
In expressing his confidence in Selu Limited, Twiga Foods Managing Director, Peter Njonjo, stated that the company is ideally suited to take on the next phase of the project, which entails its further development, efficient management, and successful operation. This strategic decision represents a significant stride towards maximizing the positive impact of Galana Kulalu on Kenya’s agricultural landscape.
Earlier this year, Twiga Foods commenced maize farming in the expansive Galana Kulalu scheme under a public-private partnership (PPP) agreement. The initiative aimed to diversify and introduce additional crops to a 20,000-acre farm. Twiga Foods’ move coincided with the allocation of portions of the Galana Kulalu food security investment to private investors by the authorities under President William Ruto’s administration. Consequently, Galana Kulalu garnered attention from interested parties in the United States and Qatar.
Currently, Selu Limited is in the Development Phase, focusing on a 500-acre area. Their target is to achieve a remarkable yield of over nine metric tonnes per hectare, significantly surpassing Kenya’s average yield by 4.5 times. The global average yield ranges between five to six metric tonnes per hectare. Previous trials conducted at the Galana Kulalu farm yielded approximately 7.2 metric tonnes per hectare.
Ms. Yvonne Okafor, overseeing the development phase at Selu Limited, expressed her enthusiasm for being entrusted with the responsibility of developing the Galana-Kulalu farm project. She believes it will ultimately become Kenya’s most significant maize producer. Selu Limited is fully committed to implementing innovative strategies and leveraging state-of-the-art infrastructure to maximize efficiency and productivity. With sustainability as a key focus, Selu aims to revolutionize the agricultural sector in collaboration with key stakeholders to make a tangible impact on food security.
It is worth noting that the Galana-Kulalu project is being executed under a Public-Private Partnership with the Government of Kenya. Christopher Kirigua, the Director-General of Private-Public Partnerships, emphasized the strength of Kenya’s well-established PPP framework, which facilitates private sector participation in critical industries. This enables rapid transformation and aids the government in fulfilling its commitments to the public. Selu’s project exemplifies the success of this framework by attracting private sector investment in a record time of three months.
Selu Limited has also formed partnerships with reputable seed, fertilizer, and other agro-input providers to ensure optimal yields and the production of safe, high-quality maize. These collaborations will grant access to superior maize seed varieties and fertilizers.
The trial phase is currently underway, with the planting process initiated. Over the next four months, the trial phase will determine the most suitable inputs for the commercial planting stage. This entails assessing factors such as maize variety, fertilizer regimen, plant spacing and population, crop protection techniques, and soil improvement methods. The objective is to optimize the Galana project’s success.
Additionally, Selu aims to prioritize environmental sustainability by incorporating rotational crops, such as castor oil. This approach not only reduces the project’s carbon footprint but also harnesses renewable energy from biomass waste.
Selu plans to commence commercial operations in the fourth quarter of this year. Initially, the company will focus on developing 20,000 acres based on the consistent water supply from the Galana River throughout the year. As part of Kenya’s long-term vision to enhance agricultural development and promote food security, plans are underway to construct a dam on the Galana River. This will enable the project’s expansion to cover 100,000 acres, resulting in annual production equivalent to the average maize deficit of the past five years in Kenya, contributing to over 10 percent of the country’s annual production.
Selu Limited is dedicated to implementing an innovative and environmentally conscious approach to the project, aiming to reduce carbon emissions, enrich the soil, and conserve water resources.
This strategic Public-Private Partnership project under Selu Limited aligns perfectly with Kenya’s vision of driving agricultural development and ensuring long-term food security within the country.
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