Turkana is a Rich if not richest County in Kenya. I happen to have visited some areas of this great county. Go to Turkana South (angolol) zone, go to Turkana East (Morulem) and all you see is green and green and green. The lands have been irrigated so much, not greens, not veges, not maize, not beans, not fruits, no sugarcane, no millets, no sorgum can miss here.
During harvestig time all stores are filled with stocks of food other farmers sell their produce to National Cereals and Produce Board. others go ahead and export to other counties, talk of West Pokot and Tranz nzoia, at some point I wonder so much, that there is a household in the north, central and west that can not afford meals for some days and then am like noooo, something must be done, the exporting and selling of the irrigation produce clearly shows us that these farmers and their households have had enough stored for some time until another harvest season and then resort to selling off some for other financial needs.
Am very sure if we go there way, Turkana County will be food secure. I have gone round Turkana County and found that we have many Irrigation-possible sites: In turkana west we have Letea/loritit, Lokangae, Lopur, Nanam, Loreng,Lopwarin, Tarach, Songot et al, Loima has Lochor emeyan,Koono, Kalemnyang, Kangalita, Puch, urum, lorengippi, Turkwel, Napeikar, Nabuin,Nadapal et al, Turkana Central has all the areas along River Turkwel, Lorengelup, Chokchok, Napuu, Naotin et all.
We should not be talking of Dog meats again, hunger is a natural disaster that can be caused by climate change and its negative impacts, but again this s something we an control moving forward. Talk of setting up Irrigation schemes Policies, atleast I have managed to identify some rich soils around Turkana County, lets make boreholes, dams, make use of the River Turwkwel and River Kerio that apparently are the only two permanent rivers around.
Small scale farming is already underway along River Turwel and Kerio, which is a good gesture, But we need to encourage comercialization and Value Chain Irrigation Schemes farming, all the produce from these farming ends in the Households, such for markets for these guys will do them good.We have institutions that can consume these products, Schools, Lodwar District Hospital, Medical Training College, areas of residence around Turkana County, we need to encourage domestic markets on the same as we go on vnturing into interior Turkana.
Am confident this is possible, am sure of a Food Secure Turkana, it does not bring a good picture of us that we are in he news for all bad reasons, Hunger stands tall among all, we can not allow this to happen when we can help ourselves first. Lets do this and we will have a VERY FOOD SECURE TURKANA. My Prayers.
Thank You
Kablit Ewoton Samuel
National Youth Council
Turkana County
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