FOOD SECURITY PROJECT LAUNCHED The Kitui Integrated Food Security and Improved water Management project is now on. It was launched on 24th, October, 2007, at Nuu Social hall in the eastern parts of the Diocese. Speaking during the ceremony that was also attended by the Area’s representation of provincial administration, personnel from the government’s ministry of Agriculture, diocesan office of development programmes, Agnes Kithikii from the Global Solidarity and Partnerships (CRS-Kenya), area’s Parish Priest, Fr. Emmanuel Ngui and members of local community, the CRS agriculture Unit manager Dr. Johnson Irungu said the project, which is joint venture by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the Catholic Diocese of Kitui will go on for the next five years. The Kitui diocese’s development coordinator, Mr. Emmanuel Kisangau emphasized the importance of the project as a means to harvest rain water for agricultural development. “We have not been harnessing the available rain water, an effort that would enable us achieve food security. " This project not only intends to help us achieve this in this area, but also will be a learning opportunity for sustainability,” said Mr. Kisangau. And Agnes Kithikii said: “This project is based on the partnership initiative between Catholic Diocese of Kitui, and Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul Minneapolis, facilitated by CRS, and is informed by the Catholic Social Teachings.” Action... The project will realize construction of five earth dams, one dam per year as a means to create reservoirs for the rain water. The endeavor, which targets 5 administrative sub-location in Nuu also aims at promoting health and hygiene in the area through constructing improved toilets. In addition, it will empower the local community towards food security via promoting high values crops suitable for the area within the project. At the same time, will be efforts to link farmers to ready and better markets for their farm produce for better prices. Other similar projects being undertaken in the diocese include the recovering programme, being implemented in partnership with the World Food Programme, and the Livelihood and Agriculture project (SO3), being undertaken jointly by diocese and CRS. The Recovering Program, which is going on in central Parts of Kitui is meant to help in water harvesting through construction of terraces, while the livelihood and agriculture project is going on in southern Kitui. (Go Back)