NAIROBI, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Kenya has embarked on developing a program that will help enhance development of the northern arid region through irrigation, a government official said on Monday.
Fred Segor, principal secretary of State Department for Irrigation, said that the program is aimed at enhancing drought resilience and climate change adaptive capacities of the pastoral and agro-pastoral production systems and livelihoods in the region that suffers from adverse climatic conditions.
"The program is focusing on boosting the agricultural sectors and promoting rural development in arid and semi-arid northern part of the country and ensures a better future for the region," Segor said.
He said that the program, jointly funded by German development bank KfW,will start in Turkana and Marsabit counties by July.
"Once the counties have selected their preferred investments through a participatory process, the projects will then be included in their respective county integrated development plans and annual investment plans," he noted.
Segor revealed that the program will put emphasis on the areas of water harvesting and storage, irrigation, animal health, rangelands and fodder production, livestock, marketing, rural roads, water supply and sanitation in schools and health centers.
"The agriculture and rural development component will finance irrigation projects as well building transport routes and markets with the aim of increasing agricultural productivity in order to reduce poverty and secure the provision of food irrespective of the weather," he said.
"The program is in line with the food and nutritional security of the Big Four Agenda of the government," he added.
The program of 3.2 billion Kenyan shillings (31.7 million U.S. dollars) is expected to benefit 340,000 people in Turkana and 255,000 people in Marsabit, respectively.
