Baringo launches 10-year spatial plan to address food insecurity

Kabarnet

Thursday October 12, 2023

KNA by Benson Kelio/Joshua Kibet

Baringo has launched a 10-year County Spatial Plan (CSP) aimed at achieving amongst others a food secure and environmentally sustainable society.

Speaking when he presided over the official launch of 2020-2030 plan at the Governor’s office grounds in Kabarnet town on Wednesday, Governor Benjamin Cheboi said the programme will help a great deal to plan for residents in all the seven sub counties where families are dependent on relief food supplies.

Cheboi noted that in the past, the county which has a population of close to 700,000 lacked a sustainable strategy to support and empower residents economically.

The County boss said the region has immense agricultural potential which if properly tapped is able to not only feed the nation but beyond.

“The essence of the spatial plan is to guide us on the land spaces we have for keeping our livestock or engaging in crop farming so that we can succeed in it,” he explained.

Cheboi who also issued a title deed to Kokwa Island Community in Lake Baringo stated that the plan which utilizes Geographical Information System (GIS) targets to profile the physiographic and natural resources in order to streamline specific development projects and programs that will transform the area.

He stated that the county is endowed with scenic hills, forests and lakes that are God given thus the county administration in collaboration with other actors needs to plan on how to utilize them for the benefit of residents.

The governor urged the department of lands to establish a coordination committee to oversee the full implementation of the CSP which he said will play a pivotal role in offering equitable infrastructural development and economic prosperity.

Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) representative Michael Gitonga in his remarks stated that Baringo has the capacity to feed itself therefore there is a need to embrace the strategic plan which will guide the region’s agricultural activities.

He noted that from recent experiences in coffee export and other food items that do well in the vast county there is need to put a keen focus on the agricultural sector that will also provide nutrition support.

The chairperson for Urban development in the County Executive Committee caucus Raymond Kinyua lauded Baringo for being among the top ten counties to launch the spatial plan which is a milestone in proper planning and management of land use.

Kinyua who is Embu lands CEC urged the Baringo lands department to break down the details of the plan to residents at the grassroots so that they better understand the importance of the document and provide their input during its implementation.

“Go down to the grassroots and explain to the common mwananchi who have the history of what needs to be done in the county,” he said.

County assembly committee chairperson for Lands Eng David Sitoi who lauded the plan which will generate revenue to the county called upon the governor to streamline the evaluation role which he said is currently being handled by the finance and lands department and is likely to curtail the process.

Sitoi at the same time urged more partners to come on board to support the implementation of the plan which he said requires huge resources.

Courtesy; KNA