A large number of residents in Naivasha and Gilgil Sub counties are familiar with the extensive piece of land belonging to Delamare.

Among Kenya's white settlers, Lord Delamere was famous for his utter devotion to developing Kenyan agriculture specifically Nakuru agricultural sector.

He acquired a large farm in the Gilgil division in 1906, which would eventually include more than 50,000 acres (210 km2), located in Elementeita, Gilgil, and Eburru Mbaruk Wards. This ranch was named Soysambu.

Read: The first farmers of Nakuru County

According to Delamere Farm Finance Controller, George Ngigi Soysambu currently is majorly focused on livestock Production where they rear over 5,000 cattle and over 2,000 sheep, and goats for beef and mutton respectively.

Soysambu ranch is home to both domestic and wild animals.

Photo credit: COURTESY

To avoid the occurrence of diseases, Ngigi reveals that the management has developed plans to ensure proper pest and disease management including vaccinations and dipping calendars.

Ngigi notes that the conservancy is also home to more than 50 mammal species.

"Around 11 Rothschild's giraffes were relocated from Lake Nakuru Park in 1995, with an additional one from Giraffe Manor," he says.

In 2002, a whole family of Colobus monkeys was transferred to the riverine forest from the area behind Gilgil, where their habitat was under threat.

"These relocations were a collaborative effort involving KWS, the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, and the Wakuluzi Colobus Trust."

The conservancy has over 12,000 wild animals with a total of 130 giraffes.

So vast is the ranch that the World Rally Championship organisers use it during safari rally races.

Ngigi also reveals that at the land next to delamere stop in Naivasha, they practice lucerne and hay farming for commercial purposes.

Also Read: Nakuru's intimate dance with pyrethrum since the 1960s

This, he says, is not exported but sold to local farmers in the country.

"We farm the fodder at a large scale level. We have ensured that the farm is mechanized to help in harvesting and balling of the fodder which reduces the amount of manual labour we use on the farm," he said.

With the vastness of the land, Ngigi says that it has led to an increased maintenance cost of the farm machinery which sometimes leads to increased cost of production.

To curb this, part of the farm has been leased out to farmers who mostly practice large-scale horticulture farming.

Interestingly, Lord Delamere's quest to engage in farming in Nakuru began when he submitted a land grant application in May 1903.

However, this initial request was denied by the Governor of the Protectorate due to concerns that the land was situated very distant from any populated areas.

His next request for 100,000 acres (400 km2), near Naivasha was also rejected by the government who were concerned that the presence of a colonizing farmer could potentially spark conflicts with the community already inhabiting the area.

It was his third attempt at land acquisition that was successful leading to him receiving a 99-year lease on 100,000 acres (400 km2) of land.

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