Trans Nzoia County Executive for Agriculture Phanice Khatundi speaking in Kitale/FILE
Trans Nzoia has developed a new policy aimed at achieving
sustainable transformation in the agriculture sector by addressing
long-standing challenges affecting production across the county.
The draft Agroecology Policy is currently undergoing discussions before it is subjected to public participation and later tabled before the county assembly for approval and rollout.
The Department of Agriculture, Irrigation, Livestock and Fisheries conducted a sensitisation session for members of the executive committee on the proposed policy, which is expected to be ready for implementation within the next three months.
The forum brought together county executives, technical officers, development partners and agriculture stakeholders to review progress in the development of the policy and deliberate on key proposals contained in the draft document.
Agriculture executive Phanice Nalika Khatundi said the proposed policy is a transformative framework designed to promote environmentally sustainable, socially inclusive and economically viable agricultural development across the county.
“We want to work with nature rather than against it, to produce food in ways that are sustainable, viable and inclusive,” Khatundi said.
The policy integrates indigenous knowledge, scientific innovation and local farming practices to strengthen agricultural productivity while protecting the environment and improving livelihoods.
Once implemented, the polivy will address several long-standing challenges affecting agricultural production and environmental sustainability.
The policy outlines strategies aimed at improving soil
health, restoring ecosystems, enhancing climate resilience, promoting
biodiversity conservation and addressing food security and nutrition concerns.
Khatundi said the sensitisation forum was intended to allow county executives to interrogate the document and provide further input before it proceeds to the next stages.
“The team will interrogate the document and provide
input to strengthen it,” she said.
The new policy is expected to address key issues in the sector, including soil health degradation, declining agrobiodiversity, poor climate resilience, ecosystem degradation, nutrition and food security gaps, farmer capacity building, enterprise development and market access, gender inclusion in agriculture, as well as coordination and policy implementation challenges.
County director of agriculture Simion Mwombe said key interventions proposed under the framework are aimed at restoring environmental sustainability while improving agricultural productivity.
The interventions include integrated soil fertility management, organic restoration, crop diversification, agroforestry, ecological pest management and improved water conservation practices.
“We want to restore degraded landscapes, improve water use efficiency and strengthen ecosystem resilience,” Mwombe said.
