Delish and Nutri, a US-based company, has partnered with Kakamega County for peanut production and value-addition.
US Ambassador to Kenya, Margaret Meg Whitman, while announcing the partnership at the inaugural Kakamega International Investment Conference (KAIICO2024), said the venture is expected to generate over 1000 jobs.
She said the East African region imports peanuts worth US $ 100 Million dollars, with Kenya getting 80% of the imports yet the country has the potential to grow the crop. “Why should Kenya import peanuts yet it should be an exporter given the huge potential available locally” she posed.
The ambassador confirmed that the Matawa organic fertilizer manufacturing plant, currently under construction with US Government support, will soon commence operations. The factory plans to utilize organic waste, including food, fodder, sludge, and agricultural waste, to produce animal feed and fertilizer.
President William Ruto, who was the chief guest at the conference, announced that the government has concluded a 5.8 billion investment for the construction of a gold refinery at Ikolomani in Kakamega County as well as a 2.5 billion granite factory in Vihiga County.
“We want to do gold mining and processing locally and also manufacture our products here instead of importing them from elsewhere” the President said. The Head of State also revealed that there will be a budget allocation of 2.5 billion in rural electrocution in Kakamega county and revival of the cotton industry in the country.
In addition, the host Governor, Fernandez Barasa said the county has gold reserves worth 500 billion, saying this was a key investment opportunity.
In attendance were Prime Cabinet Secretary,Musalia Mudavadi and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs , Wamkele Mene, Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),Cabinet Secretaries Salim Mvurya and Rebecca Miano, Governors Ken Lusaka (Bungoma), Dr. Wilber Ottichilo (Vihiga), Abdi Ibrahim Hassan (Isiolo) and Paul Otuoma (Busia).
By George Kaiga
