Agriculture, Livestock, Irrigation and Fisheries
Agriculture is a fundamental pillar for sustainable development that seeks to meet the needs of present generation without compromising those of future generation. The department of agriculture contributes immensely to the economy of West Pokot County. The department mandate is to promote and facilitate production of food and Agricultural raw materials for food security and Income, advance agro-based industries and agricultural exports and enhance sustainable use of land resources as a basis for agricultural enterprises.
HON. WILFRED LONGRONYANG
CECM AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, IRRIGATION AND FISHERIES
|
NAOMI LEMRENG CO AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, IRRIGATION AND FISHERIES |
Vision
To be the leading agent of food security for all, employment creation, income generation and poverty reduction in West Pokot County.
Mission
To improve the livelihoods of West Pokot farmers by promoting competitive farming as a business through appropriate policy environment, effective support services and sustainable natural resources management.
Core values
• Professionalism
• Integrity
• Efficiency
• Partnerships
• Gender equity
The department is sectioned in to two;
agriculture and irrigation and pastoral economy.
Agricultural sector is the backbone of County’s Economy and the means of livelihood for most of rural population, the department is committed to uplifting the living standards of farmers by facilitating sustainable Agricultural growth through provision of quality Extension services to the farming community.
Livestock production is the major economic activity of West Pokot County.
It is the main contributor in enhancement of food security and promotion of the local economy. The mandate of this department is to disseminate technologies and information through extension services in collaboration with other service providers and research institutions. Also it is mandated to ensure control of diseases in livestock and fisheries through provision of veterinary services.
Agriculture & Irrigation
The department targets include establishment of irrigation infrastructure, purchase of water pumps,
promotion of traditional high value crops, promotion of cash crops, post-harvest management (cold
stores for onions and Irish potatoes, cereal produce stores), fertilizer and seed subsidy, pest and
disease surveillance and control (fall armyworm and maize lethal necrosis disease etc.), establishment of agricultural mechanization unit, establishment of demonstration plots, promotion of greenhouse farming, soil and water conservation and training of staff and farming communities.
Achievements
1. Food Security and Household Income
a. Seed Input
The department supported farmers through farm inputs subsidy programme, where over 42,600 bales of certified maize seeds were distributed to over 511,192 beneficiaries in the entire County to support food production.
b. Land Ploughing
The department was able to plough 1126 Acres of land ploughed through the County Tractor Hire
service to farmers.
Irrigation
To enhance food security through Irrigations the department constructed on-going Kochar.
c. Irrigation
Scheme in Sook Ward and Mrel Irrigation Scheme in Wei Wei Ward which are at the piping stage, the department also conducted rehabilitation of Wakor irrigation canal and many other furrow irrigations in the County and also trained 270 farmers on irrigation agronomy.
Due to inadequate budgetary allocation during the review period to irrigation schemes the on-going
works on irrigation projects was not completed.
The County Government made a deliberate effort to support Weiwei farmers by assisting them to
ploughing 850 Acres, supported them with 940 bags of 50 kg planting fertilizer and 1,300bags of
50kg bag of top-dressing fertilizers respectively. The initiative had tremendous results of abundant
harvest by farmers.
2. Horticultural and cash crop farming
The department promoted Horticultural farming of tissue culture Bananas, Mangoes, and Avocadoes by subsidizing seedling price at KES 50 to farmers. To promote economic diversification the department promoted cash crop farming by supporting farmers with seedlings. Coffee farming increased from 156.6 Ha in 2017 to 456.7 Ha in 2019 with support of 380,000 coffee seedling to 2000 beneficiaries.
Tea farming increased from 20.125 Ha in 2017 to 49.125 Ha in 2019, with department support of 207,500 tea seedling to 55 farmers. Pyrethrum farming increased from 1167.4 Ha in 2017 to 1287.4 Ha in 2019 with department establishing four bulking units, and cotton acreage increased to 52 Ha in 2019, the department supported farmers with 10 tons of cotton seeds to 60 farmers while sisal acreage stood at 20 Ha with support of 217,000 sisal seedlings supported to 150 farmers though many farmers planted along the fence.
3. Promotion of value addition
To support and promote Value addition, the department on-going partnership with other stakeholders supporting Keringet sunflower factory in process to make it operational. The other value addition interventions includees the constructions of Irish potato cold storage at Kamelei and Tapach wards and construction of onion cold storage at Ortum Batei ward to help farmers reduce post-harvest losses. The department also in partnership with Sema Kenya Project conducted a demonstration to farmers on how to set up a tomato drying bed.
4. Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project (KCSAP)
During the period completed 58 micro projects (49 CIGs and 9 VMGs) consisting of 6 Dairy CIGs, 35 sheep/goats (30 CIGs/5 VMGs) and 17 Indigenous Chicken (13 CIGs/4 VMGs) there are ongoing 114 micro projects (103 CIGs and 11 VMGs) consisting of 9 Dairy CIGs, 18 Green Grams CIGs, 22 Indigenous Chicken (18 CIGs/4 VMGs), 18 Sorghum (15 CIGs/3 VMGs) and 47 Sheep/Goats (43 CIGs/4 VMGs).
Distributed 21,241 two months old chicks, 1,253 Galla Goats, 285 Dorper sheep, farm machinery, agro vet and hardware materials. Completed construction of Kodera and Kambi Ndege Community
Water Pans.
Supported 7 Farmer Cooperative Societies with grants to invest in Enterprise Development Plans.
The Cooperative societies include; Siyoi Multi produce Cooperative society (Pasteurisation and Marketing of Milk) Tulwet farmers’ Cooperative society (Animal feed production); Arakuko poultry Cooperative society (Chicks Hatchery and chicken processing) Katai Goat and Sahiwal
Cooperative Society (Galla Goat breeding and marketing) and Lomut farmers’ Cooperative Society (Green gram seed production and Marketing).
OTHER PROGRAMMES IN THE SECTOR
Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project- Support extension service provider and promotion of climate smart agriculture as well as Support hardware in VCD in Siyoi, Sekerr, Endugh, Lomut, Sook and Alale wards.
Agriculture Sector Development Support Programme- Countywide Agricultural sector coordination and value chain development.
Regional Pastoral Livelihoods Resilience Project- Support hardware in VCD, support extension service provider, Support community managed disaster and risk reduction, Support collection and dissemination of market information.
Drought Resilience Sustainable Livelihood Project- Support extension service provider, Support hardware in market infrastructure and Support water and fodder development.
Completion of Nasukuta Export abattoir in Chepareria - To contribute to economic growth, wealth creation and development through processing high quality livestock products for local and export markets.
Completion of the project is at 95%.
Establish Livestock Disease-free zone- To improve livestock productivity and health as well as create sustainable livestock market. As such, more than 94,292 cattle and 711,522 sheep/goats have been vaccinated.
Vision- To be the leading sub sector in protection of animal health, livestock and fishery productivity
Mission- To promote livestock production through value addition enhanced productivity and sustainable development of fisheries.
Sub-sector Programmes
Livestock production and range management- Enhance livestock breeds and disseminate livestock technology
Nasukuta Livestock Improvement Centre- To contribute to economic growth, wealth creation and development through processing high quality livestock products for local and export markets
Livestock disease control & management (Veterinary)- Conduct disease surveillance and strengthen veterinary services.
Fisheries development & management- equip and operationalize county fish hatchery as well as provide capacity building to farmers.
| S/no | Type Of Seed/Seedling/Material | Qnty Procured (Tons/Kgs) or Area Achieved (HA) | Remarks |
| 1 | Certified Maize seed | 560 Tons | -2017/18 – 019 FY -Approx. 263,000 beneficiaries |
| 2 | Certified Irish Potato Seed | 104 Tons | Issued to Siyoi & Lelan Wards for seed multiplication |
| 3 | Cabbage seeds | 11 kgs | Enough for 68.75 Acres |
| 4 | Onions seed | 285 kgs | Enough for 258.5 Acres mainly in Batei Ward |
| 5 | Watermelon seed | 7kgs | Enough for 5.8 Acres mainly in Lomut Ward |
| 6 | Tissue Culture Banana Plantlets(TCB) | 7,000 Plantlets | Enough for 21 Acres County wide |
| 7 | Avocado seedlings | 410 seedlings | |
| 8 | Pyrethrum Clones | 500,000 Clones | 2017/18 FY |
| 9 | Coffee Seedlings | 320000 | 2017/18 FY |
| 10 | Tea Seedlings | 80000 | 2017/18 FY |
| 11 | Cotton Seed | 1824kgs | 2017/18 FY |
| 12 | Sisal Planting Materials | 17,000 Bulbils | 2017/18 FY |
REVAMPING OF WEIWEI IRRIGATION SCHEME
In its quest to revamp Weiwei Farmers Irrigation Scheme, the County Government through the goodwill of His Excellency the Governor Prof. Lonyangapuo committed itself to support them in plowing and provision of both planting and top dressing fertilizers as shown below:
| S/NO | TYPE OF FERTILIZER | QUANTITY PROCURED & ISSUED |
| 1 | Planting fertilizer | 50 Tons (1000bgsx50kgs) |
| 2 | Top dressing Fertilizer | 65 Tons (1300bgsx50kgs) |
During the last two financial years, the department has managed to over alternative source of land preparation that is affordable compared to the commercial tractors within the county. This focused mainly pokot Central & Pokot North Sub Counties respectively which are considered disadvantaged in respect to accessibility to tractors during plowing season.
The exercise is ongoing but available records indicate that so far, 2,330 HA have since been ploughed between 2017/018 – 019 financial years.
LEGISLATION BILLS & POLICY DEVELOPMENT
The department has either completed or is in the process of fine tuning four of its legislation bills and policies as stated below: Agricultural Mechanization and services Act (Operational)
- West Pokot County Sector Coordination Act – Specifically meant for ASDSP
- West Pokot County Input Supply Services & Support Bill (At advanced stage)
- Preservation of Soil Fertility Bill (Ongoing)
- Nasukuta abattoir Cooperation Bill (In draft form)
IRRIGATION SCHEMES
In order to mitigate against the negative impacts of climate change while ensuring food security and enhanced household incomes, the County has invested in supplementary watering through Irrigation.
In trying to accomplish this Endeavour, the county has completed two Irrigation schemes while a third one which is funded by ADB is 75% complete.
| S/NO | Name of Irrigation Scheme | Status | Remarks |
| 1 | Kaminia Kochiy | 75% complete | -In Batei Ward -Approx.700 acres -Cost 300million -ADB funded |
| 2 | Mokuwo | Completed | Funded by County |
| 3 | Kariamangole | Completed | Funded by County |
AGRIBUSINESS, EXTENSION & INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
| ACTIVITY | ACHIEVEMENT | REMARKS |
| Number of soil conservation structures laid | 5,080 running metres | Country wide |
| Number of farmers trained with extension messages & technologies | 36300 | Country wide |
| Number of business developed | 8 | -do- |
| No. of farms whose soil is sampled & analyzed | About 20 | -do- |
| No. of farms conserved | 1,098 | -do- |
| No. of trees planted with crops (Agro forestry) | 27,738 | -do- |
| No. of Exhibitors who attended County Show - 2018 | 35 | |
| No. of Show attendees - 2018 | 3,542 |
STATUS OF DROUGHT RESILLIENCE & SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD PROJECT ( DRSLP)
| S/no | Name of project | Location | Status |
| 1 | Kaminia Irrigation scheme | Batei ward | 75% complete |
| 2 | Muchukwo sub surfsce dam | Complete | |
| 3 | Kitelakapel pasture | Riwo ward | Ongoing |
| 4 | Kopoch hay store | Riwo ward | Complete |
| 5 | Masol hay store | Masol ward | Complete |
| 6 | Masol Pasture | -do- | -do- |
| 7 | Chesakam shallow well | Riwo ward | Complete |
| 8 | Plelakan shallow well | Chepareria | Ongoing |
| 9 | Kalikwon shallow well | -do- | -do- |
| 10 | Kadokony water pan | Mnagei ward | Complete |
| 11 | Loweinyang water pan | Masol ward | -do- |
| 12 | Limangole bore hole | Riwo ward | Complete |
| 13 | Chepel bore hole | Chepareria | Ongoing |
| 14 | Suam sale yard | Suam ward | Complete |
| 15 | Cheptuya sale yard | Mnagei ward | -do- |
| 16 | Chepropogh bore hole | Chepareria | -do- |
| 17 | Akiriamet bore hole | Masol ward | -do- |
| 18 | Kacheliba sale yard | Suam ward | -do- |
STAFF DEVELOPMENT
To bridge existing staff shortages, the County Government embarked on a rigorous staff recruitment albeit financial budgetary constraints. It employed 14 (fourteen) technical extension staff and 48 (forty-eight) support staff respectively between 2017/18 – 019 financial year.