The Drought Resilience Programme in Northern Kenya (DRPNK) has secured approval from Turkana County’s Steering Committee to invest more than Sh600 million in water, irrigation and livestock projects for the 2026/2027 Financial Year.

The approval came from the Committee, which is chaired by the County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Livestock Development and Fisheries, Dr. Michael Eregae, and comprises Chief Officers for Agriculture, Water, Health, Education, Livestock, Trade and Roads. The body is mandated to approve annual investment plans and oversee implementation throughout the programme period.

Dr Eregae described the projects as capital-intensive and transformative for county residents.

“These projects will contribute to the broader county agenda of improving food security and strengthening drought resilience among Turkana residents in Lodwar, Kakuma, Loima and Kalokol clusters,” he said, commending the County Programme Coordination Unit (CPCU) for engaging communities across Turkana West, Turkana Central and Loima sub-counties to shape the Annual Investment Plan III.

County Programme Coordinator Michael Ekwanga presented 135 candidate project sites surveyed across the county’s four clusters.

“Out of 135 sites surveyed, CPCU selected 28 projects for 2026/2027 to be implemented until December 2027, when the programme period ends,” Ekwanga said, noting the selection followed reconnaissance, validation and ranking. Of the 28 projects, Lodwar received 10, Loima 10, Kalokol five, and Kakuma three.

Following deliberations, the Committee approved the 28 projects, with members proposing a reorganization of sites in the Lodwar and Kalokol clusters to ensure a more even distribution across the five wards.

Ekwanga said the approved project documents will next go to the National Programme Coordination Unit for review before being submitted to the Joint Programme Steering Committee — composed of the respective governors and the Principal Secretary — for final sign-off. He added that 17 projects from earlier investment plans have already been completed and are serving residents, while 15 more are at advanced stages of completion.

DRPNK is jointly funded by the German Financial Cooperation through the German Development Bank (KfW) and the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation and county governments. The programme, running in Marsabit and Turkana counties, aims to strengthen drought resilience and climate adaptation among pastoral and agropastoral communities in Northern Kenya.

By Peter Gitonga