TRANSMARA EAST DISTRICT PROFILE – JANUARY 2011

1. BACKGROUND

Transmara East District is located in Narok County in the South Rift region. The district has a

population of 84,760 persons.

The main food crops grown include Maize, Finger millet Beans, Sweet potatoes. In the district

horticultural crops are grown as well. These include: Tomatoes, Onions and Avocadoes.

Currently there are no cash crops but Tea is being adopted as acash crop in parts of the district

especially in Ololmasani division.

The annual rainfall ranges from 900 mm to 1,400 mm.

County Agro-Eco-Zones and Suitability to Various Crops:

Zone Area Suitable Enterprises

UH2 Ololmasani

division

Maize, Cereals, Irish potatoes, Fruits,

Vegetables.

UM2-4 Emurua Dikirr

dividion

Cereals, Beans, Sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes,

tomatoes, Bulb onions and Vegetables

2. ADMINISTRATIVE AND ELECTIVE UNITS PLUS FARMER COVERAGE

District/Station

Constituencies(No.)

Divisions(No.)

Locations(No.)

Sub locations(No.)

Extension Units(No.)

FEO(No.)

Farm Families(No.)

Staff: farmerRatio

Transmara East

1 2 6 12 6 0 16,197 1:1600

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3. DEMOGRAPHIC AND AGRICULTURAL LIVELIHOOD STATUS:

District/Station*

Pop’n HouseHolds

AnnualRainfallRange (mm)

Avg.FarmSize (Ha

Major Enterprises,Hectare & Yield/Ha

Average% povertylevel

Crop Area (ha) Yield/ha Transmara

East

84,760 15,098 900-

1400

1.2 Ha Maize 10,362 23bags/ha 58

Sorghum 34.5 8 bags/ha

F/millet 68 7 bags/ha

Beans 5,100 5.8bags/ha

s/

potatoes

1146 12tons/ha

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4. CHALLENGES FACING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN TRANSMARA EAST

DISTRICT:

Shortage of technical staff

Poor roads network and condition

Human wild life conflicts

Environmental degradation due to poor land management

High illiteracy level

Land tenure still under communal system in some parts

Internal insecurity

High input prices which limit farmer’s ability to increase input use to increase production.

Price fluctuation-low market prices of the produce especially during glut period.

5. STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVEMENT OF FOOD PRODUCTION

a) Extension and training of farmers through barazas, field days, farm visits and collaboration with

stakeholders;

b) Crop diversification especially into horticultural high value crops.

c) Improved agronomic practices to increase productivity especially through use of fertilizer and

manure.

d) Water harvesting for crop production.

e) Value addition of farm produce.

f) Technology transfer and support through projects e.g. NALEP-SIDA, NALEP-GOK and NMK.

g) Emphasis on soil and water conservation.

h) Small grants to farmers through NMK funds.

i) Collaboration with other extension providers and stakeholders.

j) The farmers through their local leaders to liaise with the relevant ministries and CDF to repair and

maintain roads

6. MAJOR AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS IN TRANSMARA

DISTRICT3

Government funded projects include:

a) NALEP-GOK – The programme funding supports administrative and extension activities.

b) Njaa Marufuku Kenya – Funds given under this project supports community groups through grants

and DCU for monitoring and technical backstopping.

c) Water Harvesting for Increased Food production – The district has an allocation under this project to

support construction of a water pan for food security.

Donor funded projects are as follows:

a) National Agriculture and Livestock Extension Programme (NALEP-SIDA) – Funds are

administered from Transmara West district. The two divisions are implementing the focal areas

jointly with the staff in Transmara West.

7. PROGRAMMES / PROJECTS FINANCES 2010 / 2011:

TRANSMARA EAST DISTRICT :

Institution Projects/Programme Allocation 2010/2011 Remarks

DAO SIDA-NALEP

NMK 68,000

GOK-NALEP (D10) 1,120,000

GOK-NALEP (R10) 1,035,000

Total 2,223,000

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