Isiolo, Marsabit and Samburu Counties unite for major investment conference

Key discussions during the Isiolo, Marsabit, and Samburu County Investment Conference will be around ways of; developing the lucrative tourism sector, advancing livestock development, supporting sustainable and climate-smart agriculture, enhancing climate resilience, and exploring trade opportunities among communities in this region.

Isiolo Governor Abdi Ibrahim Hassan, while welcoming participants to Isiolo for the conference, noted that the investment opportunities in Isiolo lie in climate-smart agriculture and livestock production systems.

"Our people have large herds of livestock such as cattle, and camels, and the need to increase their incomes necessitated the establishment of a modern abattoir. In line with this, investors can look into establishing a leather tannery adjacent to the abattoir linking it to our international airport,“ he said.

The conference under the theme; Unveiling Opportunities: Redefining Northern Kenya as an Investable Destination, will bring together approximately 300 investors, local entrepreneurs, government officials, and development partners to discuss ways to unlock the vast investment potential of Isiolo, Marsabit, and Samburu counties and overcoming barriers for farmers and pastoralists to access markets and finance.

Marsabit Governor Ali Mohamud Mohamed highlighted that tourism has the biggest potential in Marsabit with many world-class attractions including Koobi Fora, a world-renowned cluster of archaeological sites, Lake Turkana, Chalbi Desert, Lake Paradise, Central and Southern islands, petrified forests, Marsabit National Park, and Mt. Marsabit tropical rainforest.

"The county also aims to set up a milk collection and aggregation centre. As for the abattoir, investors are to procure and install meat processing facilities, and construct and establish livestock holding centers as this will go a long way in uplifting the livestock industry," he said.

On his part, Samburu Governor Jonathan Lati Lelelit cited that his county has huge agricultural potential. such as large scale livestock keeping and maize, wheat and barley farming are potential areas for investment in the county.

"Doing business in Samburu County is easy given that there are reduced license fees for business and a one-stop shop for licensing. There lie countless opportunities and huge potential for investment in Samburu County,” he said.

USAID Kuza is a key facilitator for the Isiolo, Marsabit, and Samburu County Investment Conference. Venny Mayaka, the Deputy Chief of Party, USAID Kuza noted that Northern Kenya counties, historically characterized by challenges such as limited infrastructure, arid landscapes, and socio-economic disparities have often been overlooked in discussions about investment and development.

"However, recent years have witnessed significant shifts in perceptions and realities within the region. By shedding light on these opportunities, the forum aims to challenge outdated perceptions and showcase Northern Kenya as a dynamic investment hub across various sectors,” said Mayaka.

Aligned with USAID's Private Sector Engagement Policy, USAID Kuza employs market-based approaches to accelerate Northern Kenya's self-reliance through building resilience and reducing the need for humanitarian assistance.

The program works in 10 arid and semi-arid counties of northern Kenya (Garissa, Isiolo, Lamu, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana, Wajir, and West Pokot).

USAID Kuza also manages the Impact for Northern Kenya Fund an impact investment wholesale financing vehicle that lends catalytic capital to financial institutions and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The conference in Isiolo is part of a series of investment conferences supported by USAID Kuza across different Northern Kenya Counties this year.