Kirinyaga County Government has allocated Sh275 million in the proposed 2023–2024 budget for the development of Sagana Agro-Industrial Park.
Out of this amount, Sh250 million is Kirinyaga County’s conditional matching allocation in a 50/50 arrangement with the National Government, which will also contribute Sh250 million as a grant.
This allocation is applicable to all the counties for the establishment of County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPS), whose kickoff condition is the availability of a minimum of Sh500 million.
The remaining Sh25 million is set aside for pre-feasibility studies, National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) approvals, Sustainable Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA) reports, feasibility studies, marketing, branding, and the development of basic infrastructure in the park.
Governor Anne Waiguru says for the county government to access the grants, they are further required to allocate at least 100 acres of land designated for the industrial parks.
Counties are also required to identify at least five value chain products, provide proof of marketing of the value chain products, and have necessary amenities like water, a road network, security, and electricity connection.
Sagana Industrial Park will be the first climate-smart agroindustrial city in the central region, promoting agroprocessing and manufacturing, and will be a source of employment for many of the county’s residents.
Governor Waiguru said that her administration has been supporting farmers to increase agricultural production and organising them to form groups and cooperatives through which they will aggregate their produce for uptake by processors at the park.
The governor pointed out that some of the cooperatives have already expressed their intention to set up their own processing factories at the industrial park, a move that she termed as smart and strategic.
The Sagana County Aggregation and Industrial Park and Export Processing Zone (EPZ) will be established on 250 acres of land located in close proximity to the Sagana Railway Station along the Kenol-Sagana-Marua dual carriageway.
by Mutai Kipngetich
