THE DOMINION FARM PROJECT AT YALA SWAMP HAS REDUCED POVERTY LEVEL IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES

02/16/2007
GRANTS ARCHIVES AGAJA KUYO BARUPE WECHE DONGRUOK MBAKA NONRO JEXJALUO NGECHE LUO GI GWENG' THUM TEDO LUO KITGI GI TIMBEGI SIGENDNI LUO THUOND WECHE ;	THE DOMINION FARM PROJECT AT YALA SWAMP HAS REDUCED POVERTY LEVEL IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES BY Leo Odera Omolo The Dominion Farm Limited, Yala Swamps Development has been under constant severe criticism for the alleged human rights and environmental abuses. But all these claims did not reflect what kind of massive but profitable project on the ground it is. These allegations have been leveled by Action Aid, a British government supported or sponsored NGO and the so-called Kenya Land Alliance. The information which are persistently made to the press has been consistently inaccurate and greatly exaggerated and misrepresented to the detriment of the very communities they are purporting to defend. In the year 2003, the Dominion Farm Limited secured approval from both Siaya and Bondo ditricts to lease 6,000 hectares of the Yala Swamp to develop an irrigation rice project and related crops. This represented only 30 percent of the total swamp area. The remainder bordering Lake Victoria was left untouched. The whole of Yala Swamp is estimated to cover an area of 17,000 hectares Before then, 85 percent of the local population of the Yala Swamp area of Siaya and Bondo wore living below the poverty level. There was little hope of employment of meaningful livelihood other than poaching in the swamp or fishing the dangerously over fished water of Lake Victoria. There were inadequate medical and school facilities in the riparian areas. Thanks goes to the American investor, Mr. Calvin Burgess from Oklahoma in the US who risked close to kshs 2billion in the Yala Swamp major land reclamation project, which has now turned the hitherto neglected fertile swamp land into a bastion of food crops. Before the DFL came into the picture, infrastructure was very poor. No proper roads were available. This had handicapped any small commercial enterprises to venture into the area. Even drinking water supply was poor. Due to the desperate poverty in the area, there existed a chronic sense of insecurity, which in turn led to suspicion and poor relation between the communities. But since April 2003, when DFL became operational, the percentage of the population living below the poverty line has dropped tremendously to 65 percent. This is no mean achievement and it is due entirely to the job opportunities made available not only to employees of DFL but also service supplies to the company. DFL employs over 1200 people from the area including skilled and casual labour. The company has rehabilitated five schools and two medical dispensaries as part of an ongoing community development program. DFL resident country director, Mr. Grahame Vetch was recently involved in free distribution of mosquito nets to close to 5,000 families living in Ratuoro on the Siaya site of Yala River, and also to close to 3000 families living on the Aduwa, on theYimbo side of the river in Bando district. All the nets, which were distributed to the families free of charge, were treated with anti mosquito drugs. Having in mind that both Siaya and Bondo districts are malaria prone regions, DFL has embarked in large scale planting of Artemisia plants to reduce the scourge of malarial death which is seen to be the impact in the region. The seriousness of the scheme to reduce malarial deaths could also be seen in the newly launched DFL honey production scheme. It is now producing herbal and natural honey from Yala Group of the Lake Victoria basin. The bees forage on the Yala plantations of Artemisia plants, the anti malarial herbal plant, and sunflower, which gives the honey produced on the farm a distinct golden look. The prime harvest of DFL honey contains no foreign particles and is suitable for application on its natural form. The DFL good quality honey, which is naturally organized under cool storage, can easily reverted to its liquid form by interest warmth. It is high in demands for sales by supermarkets stores all over western Kenya. The project is yet to reach its peak, but DFL is also supporting the out growers by providing them with mechanically prepared beehives on credit. Ends leooderaomolo@yahoo.com The writer is LUOCOME REPORTER based in Kisumu. We urge all LUOCOME members with pressing issues pertaining to media and press releases to kindly contact him from any where in world. He will assist you to get true picture of your Village Developement. LUOCOME-MEDIA ===================================================== Joluo.com Ka in gi mari moro ma di wandik ka to orni Akelo nyar Kager, jaluo@jaluo.com Daher winjo dwondi in bende, iwinjo?	IDWARO TICH? INJILI GOSPEL GALAMORO : Riwruok mar JOLUO e Piny Ngima, orwaku uduto mondo ubed e kanyakla mar burani. Ornwa nyingi gi nondi kaka obedo. Riwruok e teko joka Nyanam. WENDO MIWA PARO OD PAKRUOK

THE DOMINION FARM PROJECT AT YALA SWAMP HAS REDUCED POVERTY LEVEL IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES

BY Leo Odera Omolo

The Dominion Farm Limited, Yala Swamps Development has been under constant severe criticism for the alleged human rights and environmental abuses. But all these claims did not reflect what kind of massive but profitable project on the ground it is.

These allegations have been leveled by Action Aid, a British government supported or sponsored NGO and the so-called Kenya Land Alliance.

The information which are persistently made to the press has been consistently inaccurate and greatly exaggerated and misrepresented to the detriment of the very communities they are purporting to defend.

In the year 2003, the Dominion Farm Limited secured approval from both Siaya and Bondo ditricts to lease 6,000 hectares of the Yala Swamp to develop an irrigation rice project and related crops. This represented only 30 percent of the total swamp area. The remainder bordering Lake Victoria was left untouched. The whole of Yala Swamp is estimated to cover an area of 17,000 hectares

Before then, 85 percent of the local population of the Yala Swamp area of Siaya and Bondo wore living below the poverty level.

There was little hope of employment of meaningful livelihood other than poaching in the swamp or fishing the dangerously over fished water of Lake Victoria. There were inadequate medical and school facilities in the riparian areas.

Thanks goes to the American investor, Mr. Calvin Burgess from Oklahoma in the US who risked close to kshs 2billion in the Yala Swamp major land reclamation project, which has now turned the hitherto neglected fertile swamp land into a bastion of food crops.

Before the DFL came into the picture, infrastructure was very poor. No proper roads were available. This had handicapped any small commercial enterprises to venture into the area. Even drinking water supply was poor. Due to the desperate poverty in the area, there existed a chronic sense of insecurity, which in turn led to suspicion and poor relation between the communities.

But since April 2003, when DFL became operational, the percentage of the population living below the poverty line has dropped tremendously to 65 percent. This is no mean achievement and it is due entirely to the job opportunities made available not only to employees of DFL but also service supplies to the company.

DFL employs over 1200 people from the area including skilled and casual labour. The company has rehabilitated five schools and two medical dispensaries as part of an ongoing community development program.

DFL resident country director, Mr. Grahame Vetch was recently involved in free distribution of mosquito nets to close to 5,000 families living in Ratuoro on the Siaya site of Yala River, and also to close to 3000 families living on the Aduwa, on theYimbo side of the river in Bando district. All the nets, which were distributed to the families free of charge, were treated with anti mosquito drugs.

Having in mind that both Siaya and Bondo districts are malaria prone regions, DFL has embarked in large scale planting of Artemisia plants to reduce the scourge of malarial death which is seen to be the impact in the region.

The seriousness of the scheme to reduce malarial deaths could also be seen in the newly launched DFL honey production scheme. It is now producing herbal and natural honey from Yala Group of the Lake Victoria basin. The bees forage on the Yala plantations of Artemisia plants, the anti malarial herbal plant, and sunflower, which gives the honey produced on the farm a distinct golden look.

The prime harvest of DFL honey contains no foreign particles and is suitable for application on its natural form. The DFL good quality honey, which is naturally organized under cool storage, can easily reverted to its liquid form by interest warmth. It is high in demands for sales by supermarkets stores all over western Kenya. The project is yet to reach its peak, but DFL is also supporting the out growers by providing them with mechanically prepared beehives on credit.

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

The writer is LUOCOME REPORTER based in Kisumu. We urge all LUOCOME members with pressing issues pertaining to media and press releases to kindly contact him from any where in world. He will assist you to get true picture of your Village Developement.
LUOCOME-MEDIA