Elgeyo Marakwet County Embarks on Agricultural Initiatives for Food Security and Income

Strategic Insights -

In the midst of peace prevailing in the Kerio Valley, the Elgeyo Marakwet county government has taken steps to ensure that residents attain food security and income through various agricultural initiatives. The county has provided water pumps to 24 farmer groups, allowing for the irrigation of over 260 acres of land. The CEC in charge of Agriculture, Edwin Kibor, highlighted the importance of proper maintenance of the pumps, urging farmers to have someone in charge of their maintenance. Additionally, the county has distributed 2.4 tonnes of nyota beans for planting, a highly productive and nutritious variety that is rich in iron and zinc. The acting director of Public Health, Renson Changwony, emphasized the need for bio-fortified foods to combat malnutrition levels in the county, which stand at 22%.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Elgeyo Marakwet county government has provided water pumps to 24 farmer groups, covering over 260 acres of land through irrigation.
  • Each farmer group has 11 members, with each member expected to have at least one acre under irrigation.
  • The water pumps have a capacity of irrigating 12 acres per day and require servicing after 100 hours of use to maintain maximum capacity.
  • The county has distributed 2.4 tonnes of nyota beans for planting, a highly productive and nutritious variety rich in iron and zinc.
  • The acting director of Public Health, Renson Changwony, emphasized the need for bio-fortified foods to combat malnutrition levels in the county, which stand at 22%.
  • Job Boit, a project officer with the Anglican Development Services, disclosed that they have distributed 6.1 metric tons of nyota bean seed to 3,000 households in Marakwet East sub-county.
  • Using the Department of Agriculture, they have identified 6 orange fresh sweet potato seed multipliers, leading to the distribution of the same for planting to 1,000 farmers.

Statistics:

  • Over 260 acres of land are under irrigation using the water pumps provided by the county government.
  • Each farmer group has 11 members, with each member expected to have at least one acre under irrigation.
  • The water pumps have a capacity of irrigating 12 acres per day.
  • The county has distributed 2.4 tonnes of nyota beans for planting.
  • Malnutrition levels in the county stand at 22%.
  • Job Boit's organization has distributed 6.1 metric tons of nyota bean seed to 3,000 households in Marakwet East sub-county.

Sources:

  • Kenya News Agency (2025) - "Elgeyo Marakwet county embarks on agricultural initiatives to ensure food security"
  • Kenya News Agency (2025) - "Elgeyo Marakwet county distributes nyota beans for planting"
  • Anglican Development Services (Job Boit) (no date) - "Nyota Bean Distribution in Marakwet East Sub-County"