Residents of Narok County have been challenged to exploit their land for Agriculture in a bid to increase food supply and boost their standard of livelihood.
Devolution Principal Secretary Charles Sunkuli said the county has the right climate for food production yet vast area is yet to be exploited.
“Narok County is one of the richest areas for food production among the 14 arid and Semi-Arid land (ASAL) counties. We want to encourage the locals to take advantage of this to earn a living,” he said.
PS Sunkuli spoke Wednesday at Keekorok Lodge in Narok West Sub County during the opening of a workshop that brought together researchers, state officials, farmers and the civil society to evaluate the extent of implementation of the Big Four Agenda.
“Today we have gathered the farmers’ group, researchers from the Maasai Mara University and state actors to make sure we all build synergy to spur the big four agenda,” he said.
The PS continued that the forum aimed at looking at the specifics of big four agenda in a bid to see if the government is achieving its intended objectives.
“We want to look at ways we can unlock the potential of food security, local solutions to complement health care, building decent houses in the rural areas and ensure we put up manufacturing industries to provide job opportunities,” said Sunkuli.
Narok County Commissioner Samuel Kimiti lamented of rampant unresolved land cases in the county that hamper food security.
He revealed that out of four issues he deals with every day in his office, three cases are related to land adding that some fertile areas in the county experience on and off clashes affecting agriculture.
“The conflicts between the Uasin Gishu and Siria communities in Trans Mara West Community have affected farmers in the region. We are gearing in resolving the issues to make the area productive,” he said.
Narok Executive Member in Charge of Lands, Housing and Physical Planning Ms Vivian Seriti asked all stakeholders to work together to easily realize the big four agenda.
“When we come together we will fast-track all issues that affect us and find an amicable way of resolving them,” he said.
Vision 2030 Director Joseph Musuni said the Big Four Agenda is an enabler towards delivering objectives of Vision 2030.
The vision that was conceptualized in the year 2009 is expected to make Kenya a self-sustaining country and bring a high quality life to its citizen.
By Ann Salaton