By Anderson Ojwang
In Nyanza, Gem Sub County, has been a cradle of success stories in the region in terms of its contribution in the academia, entrepreneurship, business, leadership, management, research and in all sectors.
Just like the name Gem which in English literal translate to jewel or treasure has not disappointed in the regions and country socio-economic and political growth.
This year, Gem has witnessed the demise of their two great sons Prof Bethwel Allan Ogot, a revered academia and whose memories remains etched in the history books for future referencing.
Recently, they buried again, an entrepreneur and Evangelist, who turned around the economy of Siaya County through a multi-billion shillings investment at the once abandoned Yala Swamps through an America Investor.
The late Rev Ken Nyagudi, former Kisumu West MP, in his pursuit for economic liberation and independence for Nyanza, challenged to existing political order by initiating a new economic dispensation.
Nyanza was more vibrant in terms of politics while economics took backstage and was given least attention in various forums.
Nyanza was more of political praise song of the leadership and little discourse on economic progression.
Nyagudi who was then little known in the region, woke up the sleepy Siaya county to a vibrant and fast-moving economy that witnessed a new economic dynamic for the region.
Yala swamp that was left for tethering cows, donkey and goats and maize growing became a mechanized large scale rice growing zone, which not only altered the local economy but the national one.
In local shops and supermarkets, packed rice from the Dominion Farms found their way and became one of the best liked varieties.
Nyagudi through his networks brought in the region, an American Investors Calvin Burges, Founder of Dominion Farms, who termed Yala Swamp as the Siaya’s Canaan.
Burges recognized the swamp’s extraordinary potential as agricultural land to significantly boost Kenya’s food security.
The “Dominion Group of Companies” is the informal identity of a number of companies founded and owned by Calvin Burgess of Guthrie, Oklahoma.
These companies provide a diverse range of services and products, from office properties in the central U.S. to large-scale farming in Kenya.
The company’s operations included rice, fish, and rotation crops, with a significant focus on aquaculture. AECF has co-funded Dominion’s aquaculture program, building upon nearly $2 million in operational investment and $38 million in infrastructure investment.
The intention of the Kenyan government to transform parts of the Yala swamp into agricultural land for food production goes back as far 1970s.
Various feasibility studies were undertaken on the economic potential of the area as early as 1970s, when Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands was consulted extensively by the Kenyan government for technical assistance on reclamation of the swamp and the feasibility of agricultural production.
Throughout the 1980s numerous reports were commissioned by the Kenyan Ministry for Energy and Regional Development and the Lake Basin Development Authority to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Reports like the “Yala Integrated Development Plan” and the “Yala Swamp Reclamation and Development Project” focused in depth on the potential of the development of the swamp and made recommendations on practical matters, such as drainage and irrigation, soil analysis, agriculture, marketing, environmental aspects, employment opportunities, human settlement, management and financial planning.
As a result, small-scale reclamation and development of the swamp land was undertaken throughout the 1980s and 1990s under the supervision of the Lake Basin Development Authority.
The development of the swamp was partially successful, yet its scale was small, and financial benefits were too marginal. Major investment was therefore required to extend the scale of the project.
In 2003, Dominion farm made significant long-term investments into bringing parts of the swamp into agricultural production.
Subsequently, a lease for 45 years was negotiated between Dominion Farms and the Siaya and Bondo County Councils to bring into agricultural production some 7,000 hectares of the Yala swamp.
The whole Yala swamp wetland covers 17,500 hectares, which means that Dominion Farms is allowed to reclaim and develop roughly 40% of the swamp.
Burges constructed a state-of-the-art rice processing plant with the ability of processing 10,000 tons of rice per day, and the first batch hit the shelves in 2007.
The farm had a research facility on site and propagates its own rice seeds, growing, million, packaging and sale.
The rice production output then was between 3.300-4,000 tons per annum by 2007 and it was anticipated to double.
The farm also ventured into production of fingerlings and was the main contract supplier for the government’s fish ESP program and were selling two million fingerlings per month.
The farm also operated eight trial ponds each with the capacity of holding 80,000 fish and was planning to set up 10 new ponds in a massive fish cropping program to cover 160 acres of land.
Dominion farms also ventured into large scale production of soya beans, which is the chief ingredient in the production of fish, chicken and dog feeds, which the farm was producing.
The farm also acquired a herd of 100 heifers in a test program for dairy and beef production and had hoped to build a herd of 600 cattle for milk and beef production.
Former Alego MP Sammy Weya described the project as a milestone saying Nyagudi was a man committed to economic welfare of Nyanza.
“Ken was so passionate about the community economic welfare.
Our discussions revolved how best we can grow and liberate the community’s economy. This is the dream we should live to realize as a people,” he said.
At his burial, in Gem mourners recognized his contribution to the economic welfare of the region terming him an entrepreneurial icon.
