Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong has given a nod to the establishment of a modern agricultural park in the county.
The park will commercialize the farming and processing of cassava and other crops in Western Kenya and Eastern Uganda.
The governor gave the green light when he met a consortium of Chinese investors led by regional chairman William Zhou.
They are ready to pump in Sh30 billion in the first phase and Sh200 billion in the second phase to establish the facility on the 843-acre Nasewa Farm in Matayos subcounty.
Ojaamong lauded human rights activist Okiya Omtatah for having the land revert to the government, adding that it will be co-owned by the county government and national government.
“The establishment of the industrial park at the Nasewa Nucleus Estate will be in line with two of the Big Four agenda of manufacturing and food security. It will create employment for unemployed youths in the count,” he said.
The industrial park will comprise of nucleus and out grower cassava production farms and factories to produce dry cassava, chips, cassava flour, cassava starch, animal feeds, ethanol, organic fertilizer and paper pulp.
The facility will have the capacity to process 2,000 tonnes of raw cassava per day.
The Chinese consortium will be seeking the development of 250,000 acres under cassava in Busia, Bungoma, Kakamega counties and Eastern Uganda. Initially, the company will be buying fresh cassava, drying it and transporting the consignment to China.
