Lodwar – 27th September 2024 (Public Communications and Media Relations)
Thirty-three Marsabit Farmers Service Centres (FSCs) paid a visit to the county’s similar centres to learn best practices and share experiences.
The visit, which started from September 23rd to September 27th, 2024, was organized by World Food Programme (WFP) Kenya in collaboration with the County Governments of Turkana and Marsabit.
It was part of the MasterCard Foundation and WFP’s ‘Vijana in Kilimo bizz’ Project that aims to promote knowledge sharing and best practices to empower FSCs across all value chains with agricultural techniques for increased production and improved livelihoods.
The Marsabit County FSCs visited FSCs/youth and women enterprises within Lodwar at the Lodwar fish, livestock and fresh produce markets and interacted with the various traders.
The team also interacted with poultry farmers in Lodwar and thereafter toured the Katilu-Turkwel Agro-pastoral hub and Katilu Irrigation Scheme.
The tour culminated with a visit to Lake Turkana fishing and Turkana West pastoral hubs, where the FSCs had an onsite learning and reflection session. They interacted with Kalokol BMUs in the fish value chain as well as the Loropio fish processing factory before visiting the Kalobeyei/Oropoi honey processing hubs and beekeeping Centers of Excellence.
Turkana County Chief Officer for Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Janerose Tioko, appreciated WFP for facilitating the mission.
“The implementation of the FSC model aligns with the Governor’s agendas on food security and strategic partnerships, hence the need for effective collaboration. This collective effort will ensure food security and economic prosperity for the youth and women,” CCO Tioko said.
The Marsabit County Chief Officer for Partner Coordination, Disaster Management and Cohesion, Tache Elema Duba, noted that the visit will foster mutual learning between Turkana and Marsabit FSCs.
“Our ambition is to contribute to food security and improve livelihoods of the young people, the Marsabit FSCs have learnt a lot and hopefully will transfer the knowledge gained to the county and beyond,” he said.
CCO Duba further called for enhanced collaboration and communication that will open up the potential of Lake Turkana to benefit the two counties.
WFP’s Program Officer, Phillip Mwaniki, stated that the learning mission was a commitment to consistently build the capacity of FSCs to enhance efficiency in agro-industry.
“Other than being a good way for youth employment, the FSC Model also focuses on building resilience, nutrition and food systems,” he said.
Wario Salla Galgallo, an FSC on behalf of the Marsabit FSCs, commended WFP and the two County Governments for facilitating the benchmarking tour.
“The Mission has not been in vain, we have been enlightened by fellow FSCs in Turkana, our gratitude to WFP for empowering us to promote sustainable agricultural practices. It is an opportunity for us to employ the knowledge gained back home,” he said.
