Garissa farmers seek assembly help to petition on floods that are destroying crops

June 02, 2026 -  The Garissa Farmers Network has moved to petition the County Assembly over recurrent flooding that is destroying crops and undermining farming activities across the county.

Representatives of the 1,700-member cooperative paid a courtesy call to the Assembly on Tuesday, to seek guidance on constitutional and statutory procedures for formally presenting a public petition.

The delegation, led by Chairman Abdullahi Abdi and Secretary Amina Issa, was received by Speaker Hon. Abdi Idle Gure. The Assembly Secretariat, led by Deputy Clerk Abdi Shakul Kassim, guided them on requirements for preparing and submitting the petition.

Floods are wiping out livelihoods#

During the engagement, the farmers said floods have become more frequent and destructive. They cited widespread destruction of crops, damage to irrigation infrastructure, displacement of farming communities, and significant economic losses.

GFN officials also raised other challenges affecting the sector, including inadequate agricultural extension services, limited access to farm machinery, lack of organized markets, poor irrigation and water management infrastructure, difficulties accessing inputs and financing, and poor rural roads.

Speaker Abdi Idle Gure welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to public participation.

"The County Assembly remains open to residents seeking to raise matters of public concern through the petition process. We encourage citizens to utilize this avenue to ensure their concerns are considered by the relevant committees," he said.

GFN said it intends to pursue the petition to push for legislative and policy interventions to address flooding and strengthen resilience in the agricultural sector.