Over 100 Turkana Financial Groups Complete Training to Access Development Funding
Lodwar, 27 March 2026
More than 100 representatives from savings cooperatives and farmer organisations in Kenya’s second-largest county have finished intensive proposal-writing training to unlock inclusion grants. The three-day workshop under the Food Systems Resilience Program equips local institutions with skills to secure funding for food security and economic development, particularly benefiting refugee communities in Kakuma and Kalobeyei settlements who rely on these financial services for livelihoods.
Building Financial Capacity Across Kenya’s Largest County
The workshop, which concluded on Friday, 27 March 2026, brought together representatives from Savings and Credit Cooperatives, Farmer Producer Organizations, and Community Driven Development Committees across Turkana County [1]. The training formed part of the Food Systems Resilience Program, specifically designed to strengthen local agricultural institutions by equipping them with proposal development skills and guidance on accessing basic equipment, infrastructure, and automation [1]. Turkana County, covering 77,000 square kilometres as Kenya’s second-largest county and positioned as the north-western most region, presents unique challenges for food security and economic development [1].
Government Partnership Strengthens Community Engagement
County Chief Officer for Agriculture and Land Reclamation David Maraka emphasised the critical importance of collaboration between government and community in enhancing food production across the county during the workshop [1]. Maraka urged communities to take full advantage of the FSRP Inclusion Grant to strengthen food production, whilst calling on FPOs, SACCOs, and CDDC leaders to intensify the registration of farmers into SACCOs [1]. He highlighted the significance of financial inclusion and market linkages as key factors in expanding opportunities for local farmers [1]. The workshop concluded with participants signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the County Government, reaffirming their commitment to collaborative implementation of the programme [1].
Technical Support and Compliance Requirements
The workshop was facilitated by the FSRP technical team, including David Naita (Agriculture Finance Officer), Simon Atot (Agribusiness Development Officer), Josephine Emase (Community Institutions Lead), and Christine Ebei (Digital Agriculture Lead) [1]. Key attendees included Rodney Eyanae, Director of Cooperatives, Felix Kiptuli, County Cooperative Auditor, and six Sub-County Cooperative Officers [1]. Maraka stressed the need for participating organisations to maintain statutory compliance, conduct regular audits, hold annual general meetings, and declare their financial status to remain eligible for continued support from the World Bank [1].
Broader Context of Social Protection in ASAL Counties
The capacity-building initiative comes as Kenya’s Hunger Safety Net Programme continues to serve as a cornerstone of the country’s national social protection system, currently reaching over 137,000 households regularly with the ability to scale during emergencies [2]. The programme operates across ASAL counties including Turkana, Marsabit, Mandera, and Wajir, improving household food security and protecting assets to enable swift recovery [2]. Financial inclusion in HSNP counties has risen dramatically from 8 per cent in 2009 to 67 per cent in 2019, though access to mobile and banking infrastructure remains uneven across these regions [2]. This strengthened SACCO capacity through the Food Systems Resilience Program workshop directly complements these broader social protection efforts, creating enhanced pathways for both host communities and refugee populations to access financial services and livelihood opportunities.