Rice production, aquaculture, employment for 2,000 people, sugarcane farming, food security
Yala Swamp Agricultural Reclamation Project
Controversial KES 20 billion agricultural reclamation of 17,250 acres of Yala Swamp, formerly operated by Dominion Farms.
AnnouncedJanuary 1, 2004
StartedJanuary 1, 2005
Financials
Offering PriceKsh 20,000,000,000KES
Timeline
Dominion Farms Leased Land
Former county councils of Siaya and Bondo leased 8,000 acres to Dominion Farms for 25 years
Community Land Disputes
Bitter disputes over land compensation and boundaries; 82 families claimed they were never compensated
Dominion Farms Exit
Community agitation and disputes led to Dominion Farms closing operations
Lake Agro Awarded Controversial Lease
NLC allocated 17,250 acres to Lake Agro despite objections from 21 parties; multiple lawsuits filed
Scandals & Controversies
Community Land Disputes
January 1, 2010Bitter disputes over land compensation and boundaries; 82 families claimed they were never compensated
Lake Agro Awarded Controversial Lease
June 16, 2022NLC allocated 17,250 acres to Lake Agro despite objections from 21 parties; multiple lawsuits filed
Contractors
Dominion Farms Limited
Original Developer (2004-2019)American agricultural firm that invested $40 million in reclamation
Lake Agro Limited
Current LeaseholderRai Group subsidiary awarded 66-year lease in 2022
Politicians Involved
Cornel Rasanga
GovernorFormed taskforce to investigate community concerns about the swamp
Opiyo Wandayi
MP UgunjaIssued conditions for new investor and raised community concerns
Benefits
Description
The Yala Swamp project is a large-scale agricultural reclamation initiative covering 17,250 acres of wetland in Siaya County. Originally conceived in the 1970s by the Lake Basin Development Authority which reclaimed 2,300 hectares, the project was later leased to American investor Calvin Burges' Dominion Farms Limited in 2004 for a 25-year period. Dominion invested over $40 million in land reclamation, rice farming, aquaculture, and fish production on 5,000 acres. However, bitter community disputes over land compensation and environmental concerns led to Dominion's exit. In 2019, Lake Agro Limited (linked to the Rai Group) took over, and in 2022 the National Land Commission allocated 17,250 acres for a 66-year lease at KES 20 billion investment, sparking further lawsuits from communities and environmental groups.
Overview
Largest agricultural investment project in the Lake Victoria region, but deeply controversial over land rights and environmental impact