Lodwar, March 31, 2026 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
The County Government has received 51.269 metric tonnes of assorted certified seeds from the Kenya Seed Company to support irrigation and rain-fed farmers following the onset of the rainy season.
The seeds, valued at Sh6 million, was delivered by Kenya Seed Company after a request placed by the County Government in the last week of March 2026.
While receiving the consignment, the Chief Officer for Agriculture and Land Reclamation, David Maraka, thanked the Kenya Seed Company for honoring the agreement and delivering the seeds promptly.
“We are impressed by the government-to-government arrangement that has enabled us to receive quality seeds in real time during the 2025/2026 financial year. This support will go a long way in assisting rain-fed farmers in Turkana East, Turkana South and Loima to increase productivity and food production,” said Maraka.
He further revealed that the department has proposed an increase in the budget allocation for seeds and farm tools to Sh40 million in the next financial year, with the aim of strengthening household food security across the county.
During inspection of the consignment, Director of Agriculture Aaron Nanok expressed satisfaction that the targeted seed subsidy programme will benefit over 10,000 households, including more than 6,000 female-headed households.
“The seeds will support crop production on 5,458 acres of land this season, while an additional 27,596.5 acres may be cultivated in the following year, subject to improved budget allocations,” Nanok stated.
The assorted seeds include cereals (maize DH04 and DH02) and sorghum, legumes including cowpeas, Kenkunde, green grams KS20 and beans (Kazuri variety), as well as green leafy vegetable seeds such as tomato (Kibo Star F1, Nyota and Rio Grande), watermelon, sukuma wiki, squash butternut, black sucha, saga (spideplant), onion and Swiss chard.
Kenya Seed Company Kitale Region Principal Sales Officer Margaret Maiyo acknowledged the strong collaboration between the company and the County Government, noting that Turkana County is among 29 counties supported by the company through seed supply for food security interventions.
Maiyo said the high-quality seed varieties supplied are expected to deliver good yields, enabling farmers to harvest within three months and supply produce to local markets and neighbouring counties.
She also noted that the improved road network facilitated timely delivery of the seeds to the county.
Maiyo was accompanied by Senior Sales Officer for Distribution and Export Tabitha Muchiri.
Also present were Deputy Director Administration Dorcas Ejore, County Crops Officer Bonface Okita, Accountant Pius Ekidor, and Procurement Officer Joel Tattoi.
