The construction of the Sh. 500 million Kwale County Aggregation and Industrial Park (CAIP) project in Lunga Lunga Sub County is almost 78 percent complete.
The CAIP project is expected to accelerate agro-processing and value addition to cashew nuts, pepper, green grams, tomatoes and cassava among other crops that thrive in the area.
The project which is expected to be completed by December 2025 is designed as a full agricultural value chain that seeks to drive food security, industrial development and employment generation.
The main objective of CAIP in the counties is to grow manufacturing and investments through agro-industries and enhance productivity of the agriculture sector in a sustainable manner.
County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Roman Shera says the CAIP project is set to drive manufacturing and investment through agro-industries while enhancing agricultural productivity, creating inclusive and decent jobs.
Shera says the project is capable of attracting public and private sector interest and driving a market oriented agricultural transformation that will boost agro-processing capacity in the coastal county.
He says the new facility is also in the process of getting the necessary amenities like water, road network, security and electricity connections.
The County Executive for Agriculture said the project components include an aggregation warehouse, a value addition warehouse, a power house, a pump house, cold rooms, an ablution block, and office spaces.
He says Kwale will use the state-of-the-art facility which he described as a game-changer and a step forward in agriculture as a ladder for economic growth.
He added that the new project aligns with the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) championed by the national government.
The BETA is a national strategic initiative to improve livelihoods and welfare through inclusive and sustainable economic growth and is aligned with Vision 2030.
BETA focuses on five key pillars of Agriculture, Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, Housing, Healthcare, and the Digital Superhighway and Creative Economy.
Shera was speaking when he led County Secretary Sylvia Chidodo, Speaker of the County Assembly Seth Mwatela, CECM for Tourism, Trade and Enterprise Development Michael Mutua and his counterpart for Roads and Infrastructure Ali Joto on an inspection tour of the CAIP project.
He reaffirmed Kwale’s commitment to developing a modern agricultural ecosystem that encompasses mechanized farming, high-value crop production, livestock, fisheries and agro-processing.
Kenya’s long term development blueprint, the Vision 2030 aims to transform Kenya into an Industrialized Middle-income country offering a high quality of life to all our citizens.
The national government is promoting BETA and has recognized the role played by agriculture and manufacturing sectors in income generation, wealth and job creation, increased foreign exchange earnings, and poverty reduction.
By Hussein Abdullahi and Sharon Ndila
