Turkana: Turkana County government has partnered with Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) to train thirty agricultural trainees in a bid to enhance the capacity of refugees and host community for climate resilience and improving livelihoods.
According to Kenya News Agency, the training, titled ‘Enhancing the Capacity of Refugee Host Communities for Climate Resilience and Livelihood Improvement,’ covers critical areas such as climate-smart agriculture, soil and water conservation, commercialisation of non-timber resources, and community governance. Participants will also visit model farms and past programme beneficiaries for hands-on learning and benchmarking.
Turkana County, part of Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), faces severe drought and food insecurity. The situation is further exacerbated by high refugee populations. While officially opening the workshop, JKUAT Vice Chancellor Prof Victoria Wambui Ngumi emphasised the university’s commitment to empowering communities through knowledge transfer. ‘This training seeks to enhance the capacity of host communities to adapt to climate change and improve their livelihoods through awareness and uptake of climate-smart technologies, particularly in agriculture,’ said Prof Ngumi.
She praised the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for its support, noting that by linking host communities to economic opportunities created by refugee settlements, the initiative promotes coexistence rather than conflict. JICA Kenya Office representative Fumihiko Suzuki highlighted the programme’s alignment with Japan’s New Development Charter 2023, which focuses on fostering sustainable development in ASAL regions. ‘Challenges facing ASALs also present opportunities to pilot innovative solutions that benefit local communities,’ he stated.
Speaking at the launch, Turkana county Director for Agriculture, Aaron Nanok, emphasised that the trainees were competitively selected. The programme is designed to equip them with the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to become smart trainers and effectively support farmers through extension services at the grassroots level. ‘Learning is continuous. Hands-on experience in real work settings, mentorship, and coaching by experts in agricultural best practices will play a key role in realising food security in the county,’ said Director Nanok.
At the same time, JKUAT reaffirmed its long-term commitment to ensuring that trained participants cascade their knowledge to other areas within Turkana’s three sub-counties, fostering widespread impact.