STRENGTHENING OF SOCIAL CAPITAL

Increased economic prosperity now enjoyed in the Sigor are has helped to enhance family structures and cohesion by turning people who were largely Pastoralists in the past to adopt a sedentary life style. A growing and thriving market for food crops, chicken, goats, sheep, cattle and fruits has developed at Sigor centre. It is well known that commercial activities play an important role in strengthening social structures and building relationships between buyers and sellers.

Farmers outside the project are replicating project activities by developing their own plots next to the irrigation scheme and hiring irrigation equipment and drawing water from farmers involved in the project. While this could have potential for creating conflict in future, so far this practice has helped to enhance the sense of communal ownership of the project and the need to bring all interested households into the project. With strong sense of communal ownership in place, it will be very difficult for outsiders to interfere with the project. It also means that sustainability of project benefits will be guaranteed.

The WWFA has developed into a viable and strong organisation that articulates and promotes the interests of its members. It holds regular meetings with seed buying companies to argue for better prices for its members. It has a written down constitution which continues to be updated regularly to reflect the changing needs of farmers and project development. To ensure future sustainability of project activities and benefits without external support, the constitution has been revised to allow the association to employ and an accountant, an agronomist and a plumber to run the business of the association. It is anticipated that once these modern management practices are fully inculcated into the culture of the Pokot farmers, they will also filter into the management of the affairs of the wider community.