Turkwel, 30th July 2025 (Public Communications and Media Relations) – The County Government has rolled out public participation on the Turkana County Agriculture Policy, 2025, seeking the views of farmers in established irrigation schemes in Loima, Turkana West, Turkana South, and Turkana East sub-counties.

The policy aims to provide a clear framework to direct county investments, coordinate public and private actors, safeguard equitable water and land use, and stimulate innovations that build climate resilience and food security for all the Turkana residents.

The participants were drawn from Tisa, Kolioro, Napol, Natuntun, Nanyee, Moruese, Turkwell

and the Natirae irrigation schemes in Loima Sub-county.

Earlier on the day, the County Executive for Agriculture, Livestock Development and Fisheries, Dr Michael Eregae, received a team from the Alliance of Bioversity- CIAT, who paid him a courtesy call in his office to brief him on the support of the Centre in matters policy and desire to introduce the climate smart technologies suitable to the Turkana context.

He lauded the research centre’s support in Policy review and assured it of the government’s commitment to ensure the policy is finally operationalised.

“While I extend my gratitude to the Alliance of Bioversity-CIAT for this initiative, I want to commend all the stakeholders who have worked on this proposed policy that will give a roadmap to improve the food security sector in Turkana, ensuring access to food, increased income, and improved livelihoods,” CECM affirmed.

Dr Eregae expressed his satisfaction that once the policy is ready, it will be operationalised in January 2026.

The Chief Officer for Agriculture and Land Reclamation, David Maraka, highlighted the need for the policy to focus on promoting the commercialisation of agriculture through the enhancement of suitable industrial crop varieties for agribusiness in Turkana.

Liz, Ogutu,  Team Lead for the project at the Alliance of Bioversity-CIAT, said, “We are interested in making sure that climate-smart and climate information technologies, practices, innovations and well-represented in the Turkana Agricultural Policy. She further noted that the funding support is through the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA), in collaboration with the Turkana county government, to revive the policy development by supporting the public participation process and validation while focusing on the county-specific needs and aspirations.

Joseph Ekiru, a participant from the Tisa Scheme, said the policy should consider the aspect of compensation in the event their crops and irrigation infrastructure are washed away by floods from the Dam when it bursts its banks. He also talked of the need to have a farm  title deed

for land ownership.

Joseph Lemuya from the Napak Irrigation scheme highlighted how food for work can be useful in promoting food security through irrigation rather than getting relief food for no apparent reason.

Mary Akiru, who represented the Tisa Irrigation Scheme, said there should be adequate availability of water for irrigated agriculture, since water and food security are used simultaneously.

Vivian Achwa, a farmer from the Kolioro Scheme, emphasised that policy should focus on the integration of both the practice of pastoralism and agropastoralism in Turkana. She also added that there should so establishment of medium-sized dams, water pans and earth dams to help farmers diversify their sources of livelihood.

Moving forward, Maraka said, “the next step after this policy is finalised is the development of a multi-sectoral implementation framework, bringing together stakeholders from government, civil society, private and public sectors. This process will set out practical steps toward achieving the policy aims.”

Present were Richard Lokoyan (Director, Irrigation and Land Reclamation), Ekal Lokuruka (Director, litigation services), Emmanuel Esau (Deputy Director, Agriculture), Dorcas Ejore (Deputy Director, Administration), Justus Eloto(Deputy Sub-county Administrator, Loima), Juma Vitalis, Okita Francis, Evans Keter, Peter Lochakwaan, Alphonse Abolem and David Eliokono (village Administrator).

Dorcas Jalang’o, Veronica Ndetu and Esther Nzuki (Alliance of Bioversity-CIAT) were also in attendance.