For decades, Turkana has been hard hit by drought that has led to deaths of livestock and humans due to hunger and starvation
The majority of Turkana residents are pastoralists who depend on livestock and relief donations to support their livelihoods.
Despite the inception of devolution, the discoveries of water aquifers and oil, little development has been done to change lives.
Residents hoped that with cash flow from oil revenue share, equalisation fund, as well as development projects by the county government, lives would change for the better.
The oscillation of drought to floods and back again is another plague to pastoralists, but thanks to PanAfricare, funded by Bayer Fund, that’s helping them move from traditional overreliance on livestock keeping to sustainable crop production.
Agro-pastoralism
Samuel Ekai, 27, a resident of Napak, Loima subcounty is among the 320 farmers at Napak growing crops.
He has been trained by PanAfricare on how to grow sorghum, green grams and watermelons.
Ekai, a herder, said the prolonged drought caused by failed rain season claimed all his livestock that supported his livelihood.
"Drought is a disaster that has shattered our lives, we have lost our animals and even our loved ones. My goats and sheep were all ravaged by drought that dried up water and pasture in the region," he said.
Ekai said since his livestock were ravaged by drought, he's now trying to embrace farming through the help of PanAfricare to earn a living.
He said the watermelons he planted are paying him well.
"The first phase I planted watermelons, I was able to harvest and sell at the market. I made a profit of about Sh100,000," he said.
He said he supplies the watermelons to Lodwar hotels and restaurants where one goes at the price of 300-400 depending on the size.
He said the sale of watermelon has enabled him pay school fees for his three sisters who are in secondary schools.
"I have seen benefits of fruits farming, I have plans to expand my project and to invest more.”
"I have plans to buy a motorbike to link me directly to buyers. This will help facilitate my movement and supply the farm produce directly to consumers and businessmen in Lodwar," he said.
Napak irrigation scheme chairperson Joseph Emathe says the farm has about 320 farmers who have been trained by PanAfricare to grow crops to support their livelihood.
Emathe says the PanAfricare has also helped them with farming tools, opening up canals, trainings and drilling of water boreholes.
He urged the government and other organisations to rollout more training to enlighten them on farming.
Mercy Ekitela a resident and farmer at Napak, says they have been depending on relief food and handouts for survival but now they have resorted to farming to earn an income.
“We have been affected by the prolonged drought, I lost my goats and sheep that support my livelihood. What happens when you lose your livelihood? It has been tough, I opted to only wait for the relief food from county government and well-wishers to survive,” she said.
She said she is now practicing farming to earn an income that enables her to buy enough food and pay school fees for her children.
Impact program
According to Turkana administration, nearly 800,000 residents are in dire need of food with the Global Acute Malnutrition rate rising to 34.8 per cent.
The drought has led to deaths of people and thousands of livestock.
The PanAfricare Organisation, through the impact programme, is training and helping residents adopt farming in arid areas by giving them technical advice on the best farming practices.
PanAfricare communication specialist Peter Outa said they have been in Turkana for the last five years for an impact programme targeting 7,200 mothers and 800 farmers directly in Turkana South and Loima subcounties.
He says the Impact programme, is helping residents adopt farming in arid areas by giving them technical advice on the best farming practices for food security.
Outa said they are helping farmers with clearing the bush, ploughing, good agricultural practices, water resources management, seed distribution, farming tools distribution, borehole drilling, business and saving skills.
“The impact programme is trying to address two issues, malnutrition cases and food security. We are trying to support the nutrition programme and also supporting residents to transform from pastoralism to agro-pastoralism,” he said.
He said they currently have 23 farms of an average 10-20 acres in Katilu and Turkwel wards in Turkana South and Loima subcounties respectively.
He said they have managed to sink 10 boreholes as well as capacity building of farmers.
He said the drilled 10 boreholes will enable farmers to irrigate their farms and also get water for domestic use.
“We encourage our beneficiaries that once they are satisfied with household level, they can sell the surplus in order to get an income and pay school fees for their children,” he said.
