Local News – 14.09.2012 - By Kamar Francis - Water management and conservation measures at Loima District.

Farmers from Napeikar and Napak along river Turkwel from Loima district today had their meeting at splash guest house on the issue of environmental, water management and conservation measures. Speaking during the event, the project officer Mr. Francis Mariao narrated on how the irrigation scheme of Napeikar and Napak began saying it was started by Turkana rehabilitation project (TRP) some 20yrs back and now is not working. Mr. Mario noted that the two irrigation scheme for Napeikar and Napak are funded by United state of African development Fund (USADF). Mr. Mariao said that the farmers are entitled to clean and healthy environment and have the collective responsibility to safe guard the environment. Mr. Francis said that, national environmental management authority (NEMA) is always carrying out environmental audits in the areas and monitors all activities that are likely to have significant effect on the environment. He also added that the project implements on food security to make sure that food is produced in Turkana, to curb dependency on relief food. He also reported that few individual farmers that toured pekerra irrigation scheme had learned a lot from there. In spite of keeping livestock in Turkana they have seen the essence of farming in the area.