‎KAKAMEGA COUNTY STRENGTHENS PARTNERSHIP WITH FAO TO ADVANCE CLIMATE-RESILIENT AGRICULTURE AND SOCIAL PROTECTION

‎Today, the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives, Mr. Mophat Mandela, hosted two FAO delegations led by Mr. Michael Bett, FAO Regional Director – Nandi Cluster (Tunza Programme), and Mrs. Winnie Mwasaji, FAO Social Protection Team Lead, during a courtesy call to review ongoing collaboration and strengthen partnerships in the agricultural sector.

‎The discussions focused on the implementation of the FAO-GCF Tunza Programme in Kakamega County, where 45 Farmer Field School (FFS) groups are currently benefiting from training and capacity building. Additionally, 15 FAO-trained Farmer Field School facilitators are already working with farmers to promote climate-smart agricultural practices and sustainable livelihoods.

‎The team also reviewed progress across the programme’s four key components:

‎- Climate Services, including digital climate advisory services for extension staff;

‎- Land Restoration and Forest Conservation through a multi-sectoral technical working group;

‎- Climate-resilient agricultural production and improved livelihoods through Farmer Field Schools and cooperatives; and Market access, trade and cooperative development.

‎Kaimosi Agricultural Training Centre (ATC) was introduced as the programme’s service provider and will support facilitator payments, peer-to-peer farmer learning, and participation in agricultural events such as Governor’s Day with Farmers, agricultural shows, and farmer field days.

‎Mr. Mandela expressed the County Government’s commitment to the successful implementation of the Tunza Programme and encouraged FAO to consider expanding the number of Farmer Field School groups to better serve Kakamega’s large farming population.

‎The meeting also reviewed progress on the Kakamega County Agricultural Sector Social Protection Policy. Mr. Mandela noted that the policy was initiated to bridge a critical gap by providing a framework for implementing agricultural interventions targeting vulnerable households. He thanked FAO for its technical support and appealed for continued collaboration towards the printing and official launch of the policy.

‎Once approved, Kakamega will become the first county in Kenya to have a dedicated Agricultural Sector Social Protection Policy, marking a significant milestone in promoting inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agricultural development.

‎The CECM further confirmed that the policy will be presented to the Cabinet Committee on Legislation on Thursday, 23rd July 2026, before being submitted to the County Cabinet for approval.

‎The meeting was attended by senior county officials, including Chief Officer for Cooperatives Mr. Anselm Mulinya, Chief Officer for Livestock Production and Veterinary Services Mr. Oscar Odunga, County Director of Agriculture Mr. Titus Omengo, Deputy Director of Livestock Production Mr. Anthony Mwangi, the County Tunza Focal Point Dr. Simon Ndung’u, among other officers.