Farmers from Garissa have received Ksh 35 million grant-funded from the Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture project.
The project is being undertaken jointly by the national government, the county government and the World Bank seeking to help farmers improve agricultural productivity and combat climate-related risks.
Addressing the farmers at the Garissa farmers training centre during the launch of Garissa county micro-projects under the project, the Garissa Governor Ali Korane appealed to the local community to embrace crop farming due to climate change that posed a threat to their pastoralist lifestyle.
“I want to urge farmers to prudently utilise the funds for the intended purposes to ensure the success of the programme, this will not only ensure wealth creation but also food security in our county that has experienced perennial drought and famine,” said Korane.
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He added: “It’s worth noting that this comes at a time when the construction of our fruit processing plant that will provide value addition through ready markets is progressing well,”.
The initial disbursement that will benefit farmers from 6 wards (Balambala, Saka, Baraki, Maalimin, Masalani and Ijara) aims at ensuring sustainability in agricultural productivity and building resilience of the farmers in the wake of climate changes that have had adverse effects in the region.
Korane assured farmers that the meat and fruits processing plants were on-going to end marketing crisis for both the crop and livestock farmers in Garissa County.
The CEC for Livestock and Agriculture Mohamed Shale said vulnerable groups were selected as beneficiaries of the funds after their proposals were reviewed by the project technical team.
Korane further said the upcoming BBI rally in Garissa town slated for Sunday should not be linked with the crisis facing the education sector in NEP region.
“As leaders in this region we have expressed our displeasure with the action taken by TSC and this issue is being addressed by the relevant government organs,” the Governor said.
Korane said BBI was a national discourse where Garissa County and residents of NEP region could not afford to be left behind.
“We know the action taken by TSC to remove teachers from our schools is naive and borders on prejudice, but this issue is getting urgent attention,” the Governor said.
He said leaders from NEP had already met Security Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi and were scheduled to meet President Uhuru Kenyatta to discuss the education crisis and the matter will be addressed at that level.
“It will, therefore, be wrong for any leader to organise youths to attempt to disrupt the Garissa BBI rally under the pretext of protesting against the TSC. I want to advise youths to shun such plans and avoid politicians out to misuse them for personal gain,” Korane said.
He added: “I assure the people of our region that issues affecting our region that range from education, security, livestock and infrastructure will be incorporated in the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) recommendations and ask all to turn up in the forthcoming BBI popularisation rally slated for 23rd February 2020.
