Lodwar: The Turkana County Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP), is spearheading efforts to enhance food security by investing in selected climate-resilient food system hubs. These hubs aim to create sustainable food production systems across the county. Among the prioritised hubs are the Turkana West Refugee/Host Hub, Lake Turkana Fishing Hub, and Katilu-Turkwel Agro-Pastoral Hub. These three are part of seven potential hubs identified to scale up food production and establish an extensive and resilient food system.
According to Kenya News Agency, during a strategic meeting between the county officials and WFP representatives, key discussions focused on strategic outcomes and transformative actions designed to build food system resilience. The agenda included identifying gaps, improving documentation, and fostering stakeholder synergy to monitor and enhance progress. Speaking during the meeting, James Wangiros, County Executive Member for Agriculture, Livestock Development, and Fisheries, emphasized the need for collaborative efforts among stakeholders to strengthen food systems across Turkana County.
'There is a critical need for effective Monitoring and Evaluation (MandE) of agricultural projects within the hubs. Establishing a robust management information system will help assess the effectiveness of ongoing projects, optimize resource allocation, and ensure intended outcomes are achieved,' noted CEC Wangiros. He further underscored the importance of sensitising local communities and stakeholders to embrace mindset and attitude changes toward agriculture and self-reliance.
WFP's Head of Lodwar Office, Sarah Ayodi, highlighted the significance of enhancing resilience in existing food production zones, advocating for the upgrading of current systems rather than creating entirely new ones. County Food Security Advisor Chris Erukudi added that achieving resilient food systems requires investing in preservation, processing, and improving the efficiency of supply chains, including the regular maintenance of farming equipment.
The climate-resilient food system hubs are expected to revolutionize food value chains and support smallholder agriculture, thereby boosting livelihoods and fostering economic and nutritional well-being for both the host and refugee communities in Turkana County.