Vihiga's journey towards food security

Vihiga is one of the smallest counties in Kenya, a factor that has often led many to assume that its agricultural productivity would remain low due to limited land resources.

However, in recent years, the county has made significant strides towards achieving food security and agricultural self-sufficiency.

These efforts have been accelerated through deliberate interventions by the county government and development partners aimed at ensuring that the county's small land size does not hinder agricultural productivity.

The county has encouraged farmers to maximize land use through mixed farming, climate-smart agriculture, and participation in cooperatives that promote value addition and commercialization of farm produce.

One farmer who embodies this transformation is Zinath Deen.

When she dug her first fish pond in Jepkoyai nearly a decade ago, many of her neighbours dismissed the venture as unlikely to succeed in the densely populated hills of Vihiga.

Today, she proudly watches fish ponds spread across the county, transforming livelihoods and creating new sources of income for hundreds of families.

"I never imagined so many people would take up fish farming. When I started, very few believed it could work, but today fish farming is changing lives," says Deen.

Vihiga's fish farming transformation has been accelerated by a Sh69 million aquaculture initiative funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) under the Advancing Resilient Nutrition-Sensitive Aquaculture (ARNSA) programme.

In many ways, Deen's pioneering efforts laid the foundation for the wider institutional push that is now reshaping the county's aquaculture landscape.

So far, 450 farmers—including Deen—have received more than 450,000 fingerlings, bird nets, predator nets, 3,600 bags of fish feed, and support for pond construction.

Since March 2025, each farmer has been rearing at least 1,000 fingerlings under what has become the county's largest coordinated aquaculture initiative.

The county has also acquired one vehicle and three motorcycles for extension officers to enhance support services and help farmers adopt best aquaculture practices.

"This project has come at the right time, as many of us were ready to scale up but needed technical help and affordable feeds," Deen said.

Fish farming has emerged as one of the county's standout success stories.

According to the Mid-Term Review report, the county facilitated the establishment of 450 fish ponds, significantly increasing aquaculture production and creating new income opportunities for farmers.

The county further strengthened fisheries development through the construction of offices and meeting rooms at the Mwitoko Fish Hatchery, construction of a building to house a fish-feed production plant, and the establishment of a circular economy fish production system at Nyangori High School and Moi Girls School under a NORAD-supported programme.

The aquaculture success story reflects a broader agricultural transformation captured in Vihiga County's Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) 2023–2027, which identifies Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries as one of the county's best-performing sectors.

The report rates the department as Highly Satisfactory in increasing crop production and productivity as well as fish production, citing significant investments aimed at transitioning farmers from subsistence farming to commercially driven agriculture.

Agriculture remains a critical pillar of Vihiga's economy, with the county government aligning its programmes to the national Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) through initiatives designed to increase food production, improve farmer incomes and create wealth.

Speaking during the launch of the report, Governor Wilber Ottichilo said the county's focus has been on empowering farmers through modern technologies, extension services and value-chain development.

"Agriculture is central to our vision of creating wealth, improving food security and enhancing livelihoods. We have deliberately invested in programmes that empower farmers with knowledge, quality inputs and modern farming technologies, and the results are now visible across the county," said Ottichilo.

Among the key achievements highlighted in the report is the promotion of selected value chains through the distribution of seeds to 3,000 African Leafy Vegetables (ALVs) farmers and 6,000 avocado farmers, boosting production and diversification across the county.

The county also established 25 fodder bulking plots to improve livestock feeding and productivity while strengthening agricultural institutions under the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP).

According to the report, the county supported 3,200 Common Interest Groups (CIGs), 25 Community Driven Development Committees (CDDCs), 25 SACCOs and 17 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to accelerate the commercialization of agriculture. An additional five SACCOs received inclusion grants under the programme.

"SACCOs are key to any agricultural revolution. We have started them here in Vihiga and indeed we have quantified data to show how they have improved the lives of farmers," said Ottichilo.

Governor Ottichilo said the county's next focus will be on commercialization, agro-processing and market access.

"The future of Vihiga lies in a productive and commercially driven agricultural sector. We want our farmers not only to produce more but also to earn more from their efforts," he said.

County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Julius Maruja attributed the progress to deliberate investments in farmer support programmes and extension services.

"Our focus has been on increasing productivity through farmer training, improved extension services, distribution of quality planting materials and promotion of modern farming practices. We have also encouraged farmers to diversify into enterprises such as fish farming, poultry and value addition," said Maruja.

The livestock and beekeeping sectors have also recorded notable gains.

Over the last three years, veterinary officers vaccinated 29,203 cattle, 802 sheep and 10 goats against anthrax, while 36,635 cattle, 5,608 goats, 1,140 sheep and 251 pigs were vaccinated against Foot and Mouth Disease.

The county further inseminated 22,962 cattle using conventional semen, a move aimed at improving breeds and increasing milk and meat productivity.

"To tackle tick-borne diseases, the county trained and equipped 10 youth groups across Sabatia, Vihiga, Hamisi, Emuhaya and Luanda sub-counties on tick control and livestock management," Maruja said.

Chief Officer for Agriculture Dr Betty Mulianga said climate-smart agriculture remains central to the county's agricultural strategy.

"Agriculture is changing rapidly, and we must equip our farmers with the skills and technologies needed to remain productive. We are promoting climate-smart farming, better livestock management and improved fish production systems to ensure long-term sustainability," said Dr Mulianga.

The county also organized agricultural exhibitions, field days, World Food Day celebrations and farm visits while supporting women and youth groups engaged in farming enterprises.

To boost irrigation farming, the county established the Wemilabi-Central Bunyore Irrigation Scheme under the National Agricultural and Rural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP).

For bee farmer Abel Kamadi, the investments are beginning to bear fruit as farmers are being trained on climate-resilient farming practices and linked to ready markets.

"The support farmers are receiving has helped improve production. We have access to better stocking materials and advice from extension officers. The next step should be strengthening markets so that farmers get better returns for their produce," said Kamadi.

The county has also commenced construction of an Agricultural Training Centre at Musinaka in North East Bunyore under NARIGP, a facility expected to serve as a centre for farmer training, innovation and agricultural research.

Despite the progress, challenges such as climate change, fluctuating market prices and limited value-addition infrastructure continue to affect farmers.