Tana River has seen significant increase in investment by small and large-scale businesses, leading to its ranking as the second-fastest growing county, behind Marsabit.
This has seen its own-source revenue increase over the last two years.
The 2023 Gross County Product report, produced by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, showed Tana River posted a 7.6 per cent economic growth, against Marsabit’s 9.3 per cent.
County secretary Mwanajuma Hiribae says business registrations rose from 1,849 in the 2022-23 fiscal year to 2,410 in 2023-24, marking a 30 per cent increase.
“This means there is more confidence in our county in terms of the business environment and that is why more people are investing in our county,” Hiribae said.
More businesses means higher revenue for the county and more circulation of money for residents.
In the 2023-2024 fiscal year, own source revenue hit Sh90.2 million which is 93.32 per cent of the target.
This is up from the Sh65.3 million collected in the 2022-23 fiscal year, which was 74.3 per cent of the target that year.
Agriculture takes the lead in increased investments.
Apart from establishing 22 minor irrigation schemes to expand acreage under food production, the county has also purchased and installed two rice dehuller machines (used to remove chaff/husks from rice) for two cooperative societies.
“These cooperatives have now ventured into rice value addition which means better prices for their products,” Hiribae told the Star on phone.
The two cooperatives are among 30 that were reactivated and now contribute to value addition.
One such organisation, Milly Fruits, has already invested heavily in mango farmers, providing them a market to sell their produce on a large scale.
In the past, farmers recorded huge losses after harvesting mangoes due to lack of storage areas and few markets.
Dairy farmers are also posting major profits following the installation of milk production cooling plants in Garsen and Bangale.
This has seen the milk production increase to an average of 1,000 litres a day from about 600 litres - on a good day - in the past.
Hiribae also highlighted the thriving fishing industry.
“The fish ice cooling plant in Kipini installed recently has worked wonders for the fisherfolk. Farmers are now reaping massively from their efforts because little goes to waste unlike in the past,” Hiribae said.
Fishermen were previously discouraged from hauling in large quantities due to the unavailability of cold storage for the extra fish that was not bought.
“Now, the fish farmers can wait for buyers from as far as Nairobi because they have somewhere they can store the fish without worrying about them going bad.”
A partnership with the European Union through the Go Blue project, in conjunction with the Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani, has seen 50 fishing boats and modern fishing gear purchased for local fishermen.
This has enabled them venture deeper into the sea, where there are more fish.
“The EU partnership and the Kenya Marine Fisheries Socio Economic Development Project through the Ministry of Fisheries has seen strengthening of maritime security therefore encouraging traders and investors to our sea waters and value chain development,” Hiribae said.
Additionally, the national government and development partner grants have also injected liquidity into the local economy.
The county has also opened up because of the many access roads.
“There have been grading and murraming of several access roads to increase mobility. Now goods get to the market faster. We have done at least 50km of roads,” she said.
The county’s investment in nine
vocational training centres and three
national technical schools offering
skills to youth not fortunate to join
colleges and universities has seen the
county’s human resource develop.
