Marakwet District

The Marakwet District lies in the Kerio Valley which has the Arror and Embobut rivers suppying the valley with permanent water flow and water falls.

The soils of the Kerio Valley floor are fertile dark-brown sandy loam, deep and well drained renewed by the considerable erosion of the topsoil from the adjoining hillsides.

The Kerio Valley however receives rainfall ranging from 900-950 mm from May to August and thereafter-intermediate dry spells in the same period. Agricultural production is therefore precarious and irrigation is important in order to successfully carry out crop production.

The construction of irrigation furrows in the western site of the Kerio Valley is the most significant historical development to have occurred in the valley and represent perhaps one of the oldest technological achievement by man to exploit the valley for human survival.

From as far as time in memorial Kerio Valley was an important grain producing area as the early inhabitants supplemented the little rainfall with irrigation.

Through the irrigation channels,Anthony Chepkwony from Arror location says, he is able to grow cassava, maize, bananas, mangoes and citrus fruits.

Other crops grown include sweet potatoes, groundnuts, sorghum, millet, paw paws, and cotton.