Sagana: 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 by officials from the office of the deputy president, officials from key government marketing and branding agencies commended the County government of Kirinyaga County for progress made towards completion of aggregation facilities at the park.
According to Kenya News Agency, the agencies included the 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 the Council of Governors (COG). KOMEX Acting Chief Executive Officer Fanuel Kidenda praised Kirinyaga’s efforts towards completion of the County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs), noting that the agency will help in marketing the industrial parks to improve the export competitiveness of Kenyan commodities and stimulate domestic value addition and processing.
Kidenda 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. During a recent visit by Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru revealed that 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.
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.
Lucy Komen, CEO of the Warehouse Receipt System Council, noted that the Sagana aggregation and industrial park would be instrumental in bridging the gap between farmers’ produce and industrial processing opportunities. She stated that WRSC will help farmers and investors in stabilizing agricultural markets, improving post-harvest management.
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. ‘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.’
Kirinyaga Deputy Governor David Githanda emphasized 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.
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.
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,’ 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.