Turkana County Government in partnership with Lotus Kenya Action for Development Organisation (LOKADO) has launched a Farmers Field School in Natira, Turkana West, an innovative program designed to educate local communities in climate-smart agriculture.
The move aims to empower both households and schools to adopt sustainable agricultural practices that enhance nutrition and contribute to long-term food security.
The Chief Officer for Agriculture and Land Reclamation, David Maraka, emphasized the importance of this partnership, stating that it reflects a commitment to transitioning Turkana County from reliance on food aid to agricultural self-sufficiency.
Maraka praised the collaborative effort to address the knowledge gap surrounding the cultivation of nutrient and climate-resilient crops, which is essential for improving the nutritional status of residents and mitigating the impact of climate change.
Peter Lochuch, Manager of LOKADO, highlighted the program’s focus on stakeholder empowerment, targeting local schools and individual households.
“By moving away from traditional farming methods to climate-smart gardening, we aim to provide sustainable solutions to the ongoing issues of malnutrition and food scarcity in the region,” Lochuch said.
Local farmer, Lokulan Soya, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, noting, “The program brings education directly to us about crop cycles, pest management, value addition, and the specific environmental factors that hinder agricultural productivity in our area, with support from Sub-county Agricultural officers.”
The Farmers Field School Day fosters a communal learning environment where farmers can share indigenous knowledge alongside modern agricultural techniques.
The program is implemented by Lokado in partnership with JOHANNITER and Aktion Deutschland Hilft.
Participants were farmers from Nawountos, Natiira, Kangura, Katiknyingok, and Naburankito community farms, as well as students from Musug, St. Kizito Kalobeyei, Bright, and Kalobeyei Settlement Primary Schools.
Others in attendance included Lucy Ngiro (Sub-county Agricultural Officer for Turkana West) and Evans Lotesiro from LOKADO.
By Peter Gitonga
