Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi has praised Rahole community farm in Buna, saying agriculture can build resilience, improve food security and create alternative livelihoods in arid areas.
Abdullahi said his administration would continue investing substantially in agriculture and supporting model farms across the county as part of efforts to help residents diversify their sources of income and reduce over-reliance on livestock, which remains the mainstay of livelihoods in Wajir.
The governor spoke in Buna town during a visit to the farm, where he inspected various agricultural activities being undertaken by the community.
His visit is part of the county government’s El Niño preparedness and public sensitisation tour.
For generations, pastoralism has been the dominant economic activity among communities in Wajir.
However, recurrent droughts and the effects of climate change have increasingly exposed households dependent solely on livestock to loss of animals, food insecurity and declining incomes.
Governor Abdullahi said the county was deliberately promoting agriculture as an alternative livelihood, particularly for women and young people.
“Rahole is not just about growing crops. It is about growing resilience, food security and new opportunities for our people,” he said.
According to the governor, the county has invested Sh22 million in the Rahole project, supporting the community with a solarised borehole, 30 acres of fenced land, 10 acres under drip irrigation, greenhouses, water storage and distribution infrastructure, a hay store, paddocks and livestock watering troughs.
The farm is currently producing sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, cabbage and simsim, alongside fodder for livestock.
The initiative brings together four cooperatives comprising women, youth and men, providing them with opportunities to engage in food production, generate income and acquire practical agricultural skills.
Abdullahi said the project was proof that farming could thrive in Wajir’s harsh climatic conditions if communities were provided with the necessary infrastructure, technology, knowledge and access to markets.
“The purpose of these model farms is to demonstrate that agriculture is possible in our arid environment when communities have access to water, technology, knowledge and markets,” the governor added.
He said his administration was rolling out similar interventions across all six constituencies in an effort to encourage communities to diversify their livelihoods and become more resilient to the effects of climate change.
The governor said the county would continue expanding the model, revealing that he had committed to supporting the establishment of another similar farm in Buna.
“We will continue expanding this approach. I have committed to supporting another similar model farm in Buna.”
He also announced that the county’s department of trade would soon attach a small and medium enterprises officer to the farmers to help them establish market linkages and find better markets for their produce.
The move, he said, would help ensure that increased agricultural production translates into improved household incomes and sustainable livelihoods.
Governor Abdullahi said agriculture had significant untapped potential in Wajir, particularly with investments in water harvesting, irrigation, technology and market access.
He added that the Rahole project had demonstrated the possibilities that could emerge when communities were supported to move beyond traditional livelihoods and embrace climate-resilient economic activities.
For women and young people in particular, he said, the farm offered an opportunity to develop livelihoods that were not entirely dependent on livestock.
The governor’s visit to Buna also provided an opportunity for the county to engage residents on preparedness measures ahead of El Niño, with officials sensitising communities on the need to take early action to minimise the impact of possible flooding and other climate-related risks.
The county administration has been undertaking preparedness and public awareness activities in various parts of Wajir as it seeks to strengthen community resilience.
Abdullahi said investments such as Rahole were part of a broader strategy to ensure that Wajir communities could withstand recurring climatic shocks while improving food production and creating new economic opportunities.
“Rahole is not just about growing crops. It is about growing resilience, food security and new opportunities for our people,” he said.
