People living in areas prone to floods in Narok town have been asked to move to safe places following a prediction by the weatherman that the October, November, and December rainy season will be above normal. Narok County Commissioner Isaac Masinde warned those living in water pathways and riparian land that they risk suffering huge losses during the prolonged rainy season. He spoke during a public baraza at Ololulunga area in Narok South Sub County where he asked farmers to take advantage of the rains and cheap fertilizer to plant food crops in their farms. ‘Farmers should take advantage of this season to plant food crops like maize, beans, and potatoes among others so that we can have enough food for both domestic and commercial use,’ he said. Masinde reiterated that the government-subsidized fertilizer was available in the National Cereal and Produce Board (NCPB) centers where a bag is going for only Sh. 2,500. On this note, the commissioner asked farmers to register in the ongoing National Agriculture Value Change Development Project where the county targets to register 200,000 farmers. ‘Going forward, only farmers who have registered will benefit from government initiatives like issuing of subsidized fertilizers, seeds, and services from extension officers,’ he said, adding that the Department of Agriculture had hired 453 young people in the county to register the farmers. The commissioner also announced that the county had already planted 4.3 million trees this year and was committed to meeting the target of planting 502 million trees in ten years’ time as directed by President William Ruto. ‘We did not perform well because of the prolonged dry spell early this year. But now that we are hopeful that we will have rains above normal, I want to encourage all people to plant trees in their farms and various institutions,’ said Masinde. Also, he encouraged well-wishers and organizations to adopt a block at the Maasai Mau forest so as to help improve the water catchment. Narok Director of Meteorological Service Peter Karanja said the ongoing rainfall is expected to continue over several parts of the county especially Trans Mara, parts of Narok West, and Narok North until October 2.
Source: Kenya News Agency