A new program has been launched to boost food production and reduce malnutrition in Samburu, Laikipia and Isiolo counties for a period of three and half years.
The programme, being funded by the Embassy of kingdom of Netherlands has been launched by Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC), Netherlands Development Organization, AGRA and Samburu county government, aims at mitigating climate change and effective management of water resources in arid and semi-arid areas.
Speaking during the launch at a Maralal hotel Wednesday, AGRA Country manager John Macharia said the project’s main objective is to work with county governments in arid and semi-arid areas to boost food production and reduce malnutrition by providing small scale farmers with technologies that not only help them increase production, but also make them more resilient to better manage water.
“ASAL areas constitute about 70 per cent of Kenya’s arable land at it therefore makes sense to begin working with the region’s county governments as they try to mitigate climate change and also improve production,” he said.
Samburu county Deputy Governor Julius Leseeto welcomed the project saying it will help in addressing food security and malnutrition challenges faced by residents of Samburu county.
“We appreciate efforts made FCDC to coordinate and make the partnership real. We know that food security is an issue within the county and we also need to build this partnership because we want to reduce malnutrition in the county and increase availability of water,” he said.
The deputy governor noted that when small scale farmers are taught to better manage water, then it will boost hand washing program to keep Covid-19 at bay.
He added that in order to increase food production and alleviate poverty among communities in the region, farmers will be encouraged to grow drought and disease resilient crops.
By Robert Githu
