The national government should change tack and invest in small and medium irrigation projects to improve food production in arid and semi-arid counties.
This suggestion was made by Mandera Governor Ali Roba on Friday. in Lodwar town, Turkana, during a two-day quarterly meeting that brought together frontier counties.
They deliberated on, among other issues, the measures for dealing with the ravaging drought to cushion vulnerable residents from starvation.
Roba said Asal counties suffer the most during drought and famine, hence the need to change strategy.
He said they can produce enough food if they get sustainable water supply.
“We’ve seen great results from small-scale interventions by counties. We know mega dams are expensive and difficult to sustain, but small-scale ones are posting life impacts on communities,” he said.
Roba chairs the Frontier Counties Development Council. Over the years, droughts have caused untold suffering to the pastoralist communities who lose their livestock and livelihood.
Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok, who was the host, once again denied claims residents have been dying of starvation. He defended his administration against accusations that it was not doing enough to feed its people, saying they did the best they could with the meagre resources they had.
Garissa Governor Ali Korane said the ever-changing weather patterns across the world requires that people “think outside the box”.
The leaders visited Kaitese-Koolioro Irrigation Scheme in Loima constituency. It has 500 acres of maize. Their deliberations centered on viable mitigation measures to cushion vulnerable communities in the region against extreme effects of drought, community land use, development of common tariffs, and resource mapping for FCDC members.
The county chiefs discussed development issues of common concern to the bloc and engaged with the donor community who support their growth projects.
Also present were Wajir Governor Mohamed Abdi, Marsabit’s Mahamud Ali, John Lonyangapuo West Pokot and FCDC chief executive officer Mohmmed Guleid.
