The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries led by its Chairperson James Murago was today in Katilu, Turkana South, as part of their Senate Mashinani initiative.

The team toured the Katilu Irrigation Scheme and held interactive sessions with officials of the County Government, MCAs as well as farmers, and other agriculture stakeholders over the state of the Katilu Irrigation Scheme.

After the visit to the Scheme, the Committee Chair noted that he had been impressed with activities at the irrigation scheme, highlighting the need by the National Government to address the sorry state of insecurity at the border of Turkana and West Pokot to promote crop production.

“It’s very rare to get places with good farm produce like this. I think it’s important to address insecurity as well as provide subsidized fertilizers as a means of promoting agriculture in this region” said Senator Murago.

Other senators who spoke called for close coordination between the County Government, the National Irrigation Authority, and farmers in running the Katilu Irrigation Scheme, stating that agriculture was a devolved function.

Agriculture County Executive David Erukudi highlighted how the County Government is partnering with other stakeholders to address the gaps in food production.

He underscored the need by youth in Katilu to take the lead in cooperative and farm management to realize the potential of the Katilu Irrigation Scheme.

Ag CEO for National Irrigation Authority Charles Mwasia said they would expand the Irrigation and increase land for production to 4,000 acres.

Also present were the County Chief Officer for Agriculture, Janerose Tioko, Director for Agriculture Aaron Nanok and MCAs drawn from the County Assembly’s Committee on Agriculture led by their Chairperson Etubon Samal.