President William Ruto has announced the commissioning of the Kisii County Aggregation and Industrial Park as the government steps up efforts to expand agricultural processing and manufacturing beyond major urban centres.
In a statement shared on his official X account on Monday, November 9, 2026, the President said the facility would provide opportunities for farmers and businesses in the region to process agricultural produce into higher-value products.
The Kisii park is expected to support the processing of avocados into oil, bananas into flour and other food products, as well as tea blending and packaging for local and international markets.
Ruto said the government had committed to decentralising industrialisation in 2022, with the aim of bringing manufacturing, value addition and employment opportunities closer to farmers, traders and entrepreneurs.
According to the President, 34 County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs) are being developed across the country, with 15 already completed.
He said the National Government had invested KSh8.5 billion in the programme and allocated an additional KSh2.5 billion in the 2026/2027 financial year for common-user manufacturing equipment in 17 counties.
The parks are being developed through a partnership between the National and County governments, with each level of government contributing KSh250 million towards construction, according to Ruto.
The County Aggregation and Industrial Parks programme is designed to strengthen the connection between agriculture and manufacturing by providing facilities for the aggregation, processing and storage of agricultural produce.
The Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry says the initiative is intended to increase farmers’ incomes, attract investment and create employment through agro-industrial development.
However, the programme has faced implementation challenges, including delays in funding and construction.
A government project-monitoring report published in June 2026 identified slow construction progress in some counties and delays in the release of funds among the challenges affecting implementation.
The report also noted that construction progress varied across counties, with some facilities nearing completion while others were still under development.
The commissioning of the Kisii facility marks another step in the government’s efforts to establish county-level agro-processing infrastructure, although its long-term impact will depend on the availability of equipment, reliable utilities, investor participation and consistent supplies of agricultural produce.
