Nairobi: The Turkana County Assembly Committee on Agriculture, Livestock Development, and Fisheries has aligned with senior officials from the Department of Agriculture and Land Reclamation to tackle the enduring issue of food insecurity in the region. This collaboration follows discussions on the Draft Turkana County Agriculture Policy 2025, which aims to provide long-term solutions to the county's agricultural challenges.
According to Kenya News Agency, William Etubon, Chair of the committee, endorsed the draft policy, describing it as a much-needed initiative to address chronic food shortages in Turkana. He stated that the policy would facilitate structured engagement between the County Government and investors, ensuring better utilization of agricultural land to achieve food self-sufficiency in the county. Etubon highlighted that establishing food hubs would reduce dependency on external food supplies from Kitale, West Pokot, and Uganda.
Stephen Edukon, Leader of Majority and committee member, noted that the policy would attract local and international funding, which would positively influence food security. Edukon emphasized that the policy would provide guidance for operations within the agricultural sector.
Lopur Ward MCA, Gilbert Topos, pointed to provisions in the draft policy that promote contract farming and leasing as opportunities for farmers to establish direct connections with buyers. Topos called for the adoption of climate-smart technologies, emphasizing the effectiveness of drip irrigation over sprinklers for enhancing productivity.
Dr. Michael Eregae, County Executive for Agriculture, Livestock Development, and Fisheries, reassured members that the policy outlines clear guidelines to address food and nutrition security and improve production. He acknowledged that inadequate investment and budget constraints have hindered efforts to upgrade irrigation infrastructure and adopt modern technologies. Dr. Eregae urged the committee to increase budget allocations for food security initiatives in alignment with Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai's transformative agenda.
David Maraka, Chief Officer for Agriculture and Land Reclamation, explained that the policy aims to bolster community resilience against drought and climate shocks. He expressed gratitude to the MCAs, Seed Savers Network, and other contributors to the policy's development. Maraka noted that public participation forums, supported by the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT under the AICCRA program, were conducted in various locations, and public feedback was incorporated into the draft policy.
The meeting was attended by MCAs Ruth Kuya, Michael Apem, Alphonse Loteder, and Jecinta Abenyo, along with Directors Aron Nanok, Richard Lokoya, and Ekal Lokuruka, among others. Legal Officer Joyce Ekai, Policy Secretariat staff, and members of the Assembly Committee Secretariat were also present.