Title: Turkana mulls expansion of irrigation schemes to boost food production
Turkana County plans to establish a County Irrigation Development Unit to expand and manage irrigation projects in the vast and largely arid region.
The new unit will be set up in the current financial year as part of efforts to accelerate agricultural production by expanding land under irrigation.
The plan to set up the CIDU was revealed during a sensitisation workshop in Lokichar, convened by the Department of Agriculture and Land Reclamation.
Top county officials at the forum included county secretary Richard Ekai, Turkana County Public Service Board chairperson Peter Ekunyuk and a team of experts from the State Department of Irrigation.
MCAs and representatives from the office of the county attorney were present.
The proposed CIDU will serve as the supervisory body mandated to develop and manage small-scale irrigation schemes and county-led public irrigation initiatives, in line with the Irrigation Act of 2019.
The unit is expected to reinforce food security by coordinating and standardising irrigation efforts across the county.
Ekai underscored the centrality of food security to socio-economic development, noting that nations with stable food systems experience reduced strain on sectors such as health.
“When the government is able to feed its people, it alleviates pressure on other sectors such as health, ultimately reducing funds spent on addressing preventable conditions,” he said.
The county public service board also committed to supporting the establishment of CIDU, describing it as a critical milestone for local farmers.
Agriculture and land reclamation chief officer David Maraka emphasised the strategic importance of the unit.
“CIDU is now a requirement for counties to receive funding support from the national government and development partners going forward,” he said.
Maraka called for fast-tracking of the unit’s creation as a fully functional department and commended the State Department of Irrigation for its role in facilitating the sensitisation process, as guided by the Council of Governors.
He also recognised the supportive role of the Food Systems Resilience Project team, led by director Victor Lochee.
Deputy speaker and member of the assembly’s agriculture committee Gilbert Topos said the establishment of CIDU would enable Turkana to leverage water harvesting systems to boost food production and reduce dependence on rain-fed agriculture.
During the meeting, the State Department for Irrigation provided technical guidance and committed to working closely with the office of the county attorney to ensure CIDU is established in full compliance with legal and technical standards.
