• It is a major breakthrough for Governor Rotich, who had promised to help secure investments for residents and farmers.
• The project is expected to help reduce post-harvest losses and guarantee steady farm prices for more than 10,000 smallholder potato farmers in the region.
Image: FILE
The UK government and Select Fresh Produce Kenya Ltd will spend more than Sh2.4 billion to construct a 60,000-tonne processing factory for Irish and sweet potatoes in Elgeyo Marakwet county.
The factory is expected to create more than 5,000 jobs.
The project will process 30,000 tonnes of Irish potatoes and 30,000 tonnes of sweet potatoes into fresh and frozen fries in the first year of operation, with production increasing to 50,000 tonnes each in five years.
The project will be implemented through UK’s Sustainable Urban Economic Development Programme (SUED) in collaboration with Iten Municipality.
British High Commissioner Jane Marriott and Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich launched the project in Iten town on Tuesday.
It is a major breakthrough for Governor Rotich, who had promised to help secure investments for residents and farmers.
The project is expected to help reduce post-harvest losses and provide ready off-take potatoes, guaranteeing steady farm prices for more than 10,000 smallholder potato farmers in the region.
“We are so delighted with this project, which comes with major benefits for our people including farmers,” Rotich said.
He said in addition to increasing farm yields, the project will also enhance the existing farmer co-operative societies by training farmers on better farming methods.
“That is why we have also been urging our farmers to join cooperative societies so they can be part of such life-changing initiatives,” Rotich said.
During the launch, Marriott termed it a unique project for the region.
“Smallholder farmers are particularly affected by the harsh realities of the changing weather patterns and unstable prices for their produce. That is why I'm delighted to announce the new investment by Select Fresh in partnership with the UK government to finance the first potato processing factory in Elgeyo Marakwet,” she said.
Marriott said the investment would transform the lives of thousands of smallholder farmers, building their resilience and providing them with stable incomes.
She said the UK was proud to be supporting agricultural productivity and the delivery of a bottom-up economic model in the North Rift.
Rotich said the project will have many positive effects on the economy of the region.
“I’m happy to co-launch this processing plant project in Iten together with the UK government. By having a potato processing plant, we will reach all people at all levels,” Rotich said.
He said Elgeyo Marakwet economy was 95 per cent reliant on agriculture and had never had a value chain project for agricultural produce.
“By having a value chain project that provides additionality, we are helping to make our economy stronger. I know that in six months, we will be able to transform the economies of people and half the poverty levels in Iten,” Rotich said.
Select Fresh CEO Eunice Mutua said the UK government has played a key role in catalysing the investment by providing expert advice and initial funding for the project.
She said the project will create climate resilience in Iten municipality by promoting a circular economy management by implementing an already developed green strategy that will handle waste management and reduce food wastage along the supply chain every year.