SOCIO-ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND IMPACTS

Crop yields, Earnings and Food Security

Prior to the project, crop yields among the Pokot people who inhabited the project area were very low. Production was entirely for subsistence and in years of drought food scarcity was pervasive.

Pokot's response to this problem was to move into other districts or even across the border into neighbouring Uganda in search of food. As a result of the project, the lives of the Pokot in the project area have been completely transformed.

Crop yields have increased from about 0.5 tonnes/ha for maize and sorghum to a mean of 3.5t/ha and 4t/ha respectively (photo 2). In addition, new crops that include okra, cowpeas and green gram have been introduced into the local farming system. 

Farmers have continued to realise consistently improved yields on these crops over the years. Table 3 shows that significant improvement in crop yields has been recorded over the last 12 years. In particular, yields for maize and sorghum, the two main crops traditionally grown by farmers in the project area, increased by 870 and 800% respectively. 

At present, farmers have contracts with three seed companies, viz., Kenya Seed Company, Western Seed Company and East Africa Seed Company. The first two companies have regional offices in Kitale (100 km away) while the last company is based in Nairobi. These companies currently buy maize and sorghum at KSh 30/kg and KSh 18/kg respectively at the farm gate. These prices are at least 250 percent higher than those offered by food companies. On average, farmers realise a net annual income of KSh 40,000/year.

Employment and Incomes 

The WWIDP has made a significant contribution on employment and income generation in West Pokot district. During the implementation of civil works in 1987-88, at least 300 people were employed on the project. At an average daily wage of KSh 25/person /day during that period and assuming a 200-day working year, it means that at least KSh 3m was injected into the local area during the two years. Since the start of the second phase in 1991, KVDA has had at least 50 staff employed on the project each year. At present, the annual salary and wage bill for KVDA staff stands at KSh 4.6m. Clearly, the earnings of KVDA staff help to stimulate consumption and commercial activities at Sigor and in other parts of the district. Due to the increased demand for labour on farmers' plots, each farmer currently hires at least 60man-days of labour per season. The present daily wage rate for hired labour is KSh 45. There are two growing seasons each year and thus each farmer hires at least 120 man-days of labour (photo 3). With 275 ha under crop production, it means that approximately KSh1.5m is paid in wages each year. There is no doubt that this is significant income that has helped to uplift living standards in an area that was once very poor and marginalized.

Expansion of commercial activities at Sigor 

As would be expected, increased employment and incomes stimulate the development of commercial transactions. This is what has happened at Sigor, the business centre located next to the project area. A thriving and rapidly expanding market has developed at Sigor. Before the start of the project, the population in Sigor division was a mere 40,000. Today, the population of the division is estimated at nearly 200,000. The rapidly growing population at Sigor has in turn stimulated the expansion of commerce at the centre. Increased population at the centre has in turn led to the development of education and health facilities at Sigor. Before the project, there were only two primary schools at Sigor.