By Issa Hussein - Reporter
May 19, 2026 - More than 100 farmers in Turkana Central have received 53 acres of irrigated land in a major push by the county government and development partners to tackle chronic food insecurity in the region.
The beneficiaries from Lokipetot and Naurenpuu villages were each allocated half an acre under the Lokipetot Irrigation Scheme and are expected to begin farming immediately as rains continue across the area.
The project forms part of broader efforts to diversify livelihoods in Turkana, a county heavily reliant on pastoralism and frequently affected by drought and hunger.
Speaking during the handover on Thursday, Chief Officer for Agriculture and Land Reclamation David Maraka urged residents to take advantage of available water resources to reduce dependence on relief food.
“I find no reason why we are food insecure yet we have water flowing in Rivers Turkwel, Kerio and the backflow in Lake Turkana,” Mr Maraka said.
He said the county government, together with the Dryland Resilience Programme in Northern Kenya (DRPNK), German development bank KfW and other partners, aims to transform Lokipetot into a model irrigation scheme in Turkana Central.
“We expect a bumper harvest within the next three months and farmers will start benefiting from the land,” he added. Mr Maraka said expansion of the project to 100 acres would depend on the success of the current phase, urging farmers to fully utilise the allocated land.
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The farmers welcomed the initiative, saying it offered hope for improved livelihoods and household food security. “There is a need to utilise farm mechanisation for farmers to start farming and tap water flowing in River Turkwel,” said Charles Ayanae Namus, chairperson of the Lokipetot Irrigation Management Committee.
One of the beneficiaries, Rael Amase, appealed for seeds and farm tools to support planting after farmers cleared bushes and invasive prosopis shrubs from the land. She noted that many of the beneficiaries were women heading households.
Committee member Isaya Emanikor praised the initiative, saying it would help families become more self-reliant and reduce hunger in the area. He urged the county government and development partners to expand the project from 53 to 100 acres to accommodate more farmers.
County Project Coordinator for DRPNK Michael Ekwanga described the scheme as a significant step towards strengthening food production in Turkana. “This project is a major step towards food security. Working with stakeholders will drive our intentions into reality,” he said.
Director of Irrigation and Land Reclamation Richard Lokoyan said two irrigation engineers had been deployed to support farmers and ensure the scheme becomes fully operational. Director of Agriculture Aaron Nanok assured farmers that the county would provide seeds, mechanisation support and extension services ahead of planting.
Agricultural officers and agronomists have also been deployed to guide farmers on crop production and management. Turkana has increasingly turned to irrigation farming as part of long-term efforts to cushion communities from recurring drought and climate shocks that have devastated livestock-based livelihoods in the region.