Turkana: The County Government of Turkana is keen on harnessing the expertise of graduates who studied advanced agriculture in Israel to improve agricultural productivity and enhance food security. The 16 graduates who were nominated by the Department of Agriculture and Land Reclamation pursued a diploma in advanced agriculture at the Arava International Center for Agricultural Training (AICAT) in Israel.
According to Kenya News Agency, their training included practical hands-on experience on farms, adhering to global standards in agriculture, where each student lived and worked under the supervision of a mentor farmer, thus gaining practical knowledge in modern agricultural practices ranging from selecting appropriate technologies to determining optimal crop varieties.
During a meeting with the graduates, the County Executive for Agriculture, Livestock Development, and Fisheries, James Wangiros, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to integrating modern agricultural practices and technologies to stimulate agricultural production. Wangiros emphasized the importance of leveraging the graduates’ skills to enhance food security across the county.
The graduates shared their experiences and proposed strategies to increase agricultural production by domesticating advanced technologies and building the capacity of smallholder farmers to adopt modern techniques practiced in Israel. The Executive encouraged them to make a structured presentation outlining the lessons learned and how this knowledge could be applied to benefit farmers in Turkana.
“As the younger generation of Turkana, you have a significant role in contributing to the county’s food and nutrition security,” Wangiros said. The graduates are set to share their insights during departmental and partners’ meetings while highlighting the best practices and innovative solutions to increase agricultural productivity.
The graduates have actively engaged with the County Government, development partners, local communities, and farmers at the Natoot FGCK farm in offering technical support and capacity building. In attendance at the meeting included Marian Lotieng (Chief Officer, Agriculture and Land Reclamation), Aaron Nanok (Director of Agriculture), Jackson Ewat (Ag. Assistant Director, Irrigation and Land Reclamation), and Peter Chegem Tioko (Principal, Administrative Services).