Busia: The Vice Chairman of the Lake Region Economic Block (LREB), Kenneth Lusaka, has emphasized the importance of evaluating the achievements and progress made during their annual summit, urging members to focus on tangible outcomes rather than mere rhetoric. Addressing the 12th LREB Summit at Alupe University, Lusaka highlighted the original intent of forming the LREB in 2014, which was to consolidate resources, identify opportunities, and approach policies and activities with an integrated strategy to enhance the lives of local communities. According to Kenya News Agency, Lusaka stressed the reality of climate change and the necessity of leveraging ongoing rains for food production. He pointed out the region's dependency on rain-fed agriculture, which leads to famine during droughts, and called for strategies that align with climate change. He also highlighted the high cost of sugar production in Kenya compared to Brazil, attributing it to outdated machinery and excessive power usage, and advocated for r enewable energy solutions to address agricultural challenges. Lusaka noted that Nzoia Sugar Factory's electricity expenses could significantly decrease from Sh10 million to Sh2 million with solar energy, thus lowering production costs. He also mentioned the use of older cane varieties that take 18 months to mature, in contrast to newer varieties that mature in 11 months, suggesting a shift to more efficient options. Additionally, he emphasized the need for local communities to diversify their food sources. LREB CEO Victor Nyagaya called for a comprehensive approach to regional issues, noting the paradox of water shortages in counties despite proximity to Africa's largest freshwater lake. He proposed utilizing Lake Victoria's water for a regional supply system and emphasized harnessing rainwater during floods. Nyagaya expressed support for the National Government's efforts, particularly President William Ruto's initiative to revive the Soin dam. Busia Governor Paul Otuoma highlighted the low tree cover in B usia and Siaya counties, stressing environmental conservation. He advocated for forming cooperatives to promote value addition through County Integrated Industrial parks and pointed out the region's potential for cotton cultivation, which is currently underutilized as the country imports the crop. This year's Summit, running from November 27 to November 29, is focused on the theme 'Food security in the wake of climate change.'