Sagana Industrial Park in Kirinyaga has received endorsement from key national government agencies involved in local and international market linkage.

Speaking during a high-level site visit, officials from five key government marketing and branding agencies commended County Government of Kirinyaga for progress made towards completion of aggregation facilities at the park.

The agencies included; State Department for Trade, Kenya National Multi-Commodities Exchange Company Limited (KOMEX), Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA), Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC), and the Warehouse Receipt System Council (WRS). Also present were officials from Council of Governors (COG).

KOMEX Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Fanuel Kidenda praised Kirinyaga’s efforts towards completion of the County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs) saying the agency will help in marketing the industrial parks so as to improve the export competitiveness of Kenyan commodities and also in stimulating domestic value addition and processing.

“In our assessment so far, this is the seventh CAIP project we have visited across the country. Kirinyaga County is right at the top, it’s among the top two in terms of level of completion and we are pleased with that,” Kidenda said.

He emphasized that KOMEX, through its trading platforms, would facilitate farmers’ access to national and export markets, providing a structured trading system that eliminates middlemen and stabilizes prices.

According to Governor Anne Waiguru, 18 investors have been shortlisted to set up agro-processing and manufacturing factories at the park from a list of 54 who had shown interest.

Waiguru said the very high-value investors will set up industries dealing in the processing and manufacturing of goods for export, especially agricultural, leather and textiles.

Kidenda expressed optimism that the industrial park would be completed by June this year, in line with the national government’s timelines.

“We aligned on key priority value chains, including rice, coffee, tomatoes, and other strategic crops, to ensure that the industrial park benefits farmers and traders. The next step is to create sustainable market linkages that will directly connect Kirinyaga’s produce to both national buyers and international exporters,” he said.

Kidenda also assured that government agencies would address policy challenges affecting investors, traders, and cooperative societies, further unlocking the county’s economic potential.

On her part, Lucy Komen, CEO of the Warehouse Receipt System Council (WRSC), noted that the Sagana aggregation and industrial park would be instrumental in bridging the gap between farmers’ produce and industrial processing opportunities.

She said WRS will help farmers and investors in stabilizing agricultural markets, improving post-harvest management.

“Most farmers are already producing and the CAIPs are quite advanced,” she stated. “Our focus now is on how to integrate these farmers into the system and ensure they reap maximum benefits.”

Komen acknowledged Kirinyaga’s priority commodities, including rice, coffee, and tomatoes, and assured that a comprehensive framework would be developed to connect them with industrial processors and markets.

“How are the farmers going to benefit? How will the investors and markets align with CAIPs?” she posed. “These are the key questions we are mapping out, and we will develop a strategy paper to be presented annually to ensure that Kirinyaga farmers can sell their produce with minimal barriers and maximum profits.”

Deputy Governor David Githanda, who represented Governor Anne Waiguru during the visit emphasized on the government’s commitment to ensuring the industrial park is fully operationalized, with strong market linkages to benefit local farmers and investors.

“We are here today because we have a technical team from the Office of the Deputy President and the Department of Trade, who are keen on expediting the CAIPs program,” he said. “They are assessing counties that have made significant progress and identifying ways to support them, especially in market linkages.”

Githanda said that the Sagana CAIP is at 70% completion level, making it one of the most advanced in the country. He assured residents that government agencies were ready to assist in areas such as marketing, branding, and establishing direct connections between farmers and buyers, both locally and internationally.

“The various government agencies represented here will play a critical role in ensuring that the market for value-added products is guaranteed, not just locally, but also internationally,” he added.

Githanda reiterated that the Sagana Industrial Park would be a game-changer for Kirinyaga, unlocking new economic opportunities and positioning the county as a hub for agricultural value addition.

“These agencies will ensure that Kirinyaga farmers have direct access to structured markets, allowing them to sell their produce at competitive prices. They are also ensuring that there will be no shortage of raw materials, creating a stable supply chain for industries within the park,” the Deputy Governor added.

“With the support from national agencies, we are confident that the Sagana Industrial Park will be fully operational soon, creating jobs, transforming livelihoods, and placing Kirinyaga produce on both national and international markets,” he affirmed.

The visit was part of a nationwide technical assessment running from March 10 to March 21, 2025, targeting counties that have made significant progress in implementing CAIPs.