9 REPUBLIC OF KENYA VIHIGA COUNTY FIRST COUNTY INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2013-2017 KENYA Towards a Globally Competitive and Prosperous Nation COUNTY VISION AND MISSION Vision: To be a leading county in sustainable utilization of available resources for rural development. Mission: To contribute to poverty reduction through the promotion of food security, agro-industrial development, trade, water supply, rural employment and sustainable utilization of the rural resources. 1 Table of Contents ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS .................................................................................................................. 8 CHAPTER ONE: COUNTY BACKGROUND INFORMATION ........................................................... 16 1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 16 1.1 POSITION AND SIZE OF THE COUNTY ................................................................................................. 16 1.2 PHYSIOGRAPHIC AND NATURAL CONDITIONS ................................................................................... 17 1.2.1 Physical and Topographic Features ........................................................................................... 17 1.2.2 Ecological Conditions ................................................................................................................ 18 1.2.3 Climatic Conditions .................................................................................................................... 18 1.3 ADMINISTRATIVE AND POLITICAL UNITS ........................................................................................... 18 1.3.1 Administrative subdivision .......................................................................................................... 18 1.3.2 Political Units (Constituencies and Wards)................................................................................ 19 1.4 DEMOGRAPHIC FEATURES .................................................................................................................. 21 1.4.1 Population Size and Composition ............................................................................................... 21 1.4.2 Population Density and Distribution .......................................................................................... 23 1.5 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS ................................................................................................. 23 1.6 INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCESS .......................................................................................................... 25 1.6.1 Road and Rail Network ............................................................................................................... 25 1.6.2 Posts and Telecommunications ................................................................................................... 26 1.6.3 Financial Institutions .................................................................................................................. 26 1.6.4 Education Institutions ................................................................................................................. 26 1.6.5 Energy Access ............................................................................................................................. 27 1.6.6 Markets and Urban Centres ....................................................................................................... 28 1.6.7 Housing: Types ........................................................................................................................... 29 1.7 LAND AND LAND USE........................................................................................................................... 29 1.7.1 Mean Holding Size ...................................................................................................................... 29 1.7.2 Percentage of Land owners with Title Deeds ............................................................................. 30 1.7.3 Incidence of Landlessness ........................................................................................................... 30 1.8 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS/NON-STATE ACTORS ........................................................................ 31 1.8.1 Cooperative societies .................................................................................................................. 31 1.8.2 Non-Governmental organisations ............................................................................................... 31 1.8.3 Self Help/ Women and Youth groups .......................................................................................... 31 1.9 CROP, LIVESTOCK AND FISH PRODUCTION ....................................................................................... 31 1.9.1 Main crops produced .................................................................................................................. 32 1.9.2 Acreage under food crop and cash crops ................................................................................... 32 1.9.3 Average farm sizes ...................................................................................................................... 32 1.9.4 Main storage facilities ................................................................................................................ 32 1.9.5 Main livestock bred..................................................................................................................... 32 1.9.6 Main fishing activities ................................................................................................................. 33 1.10 FORESTRY AND AGRO FORESTRY .................................................................................................. 33 1.10.1 Main Forest Types and Size of Forests .................................................................................. 33 1.10.2 Main Forest Products, Gazetted and Ungazzeted Forests ..................................................... 33 1.10.3 Promotion of Agro-Forestry and Green Economy ................................................................. 34 1.11 ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE ........................................................................................ 35 1.11.1 Major contributors to environmental degradation in the county ........................................... 35 1.11.2 Effects of Environmental Degradation................................................................................... 36 1.11.3 Climate change and its effect in the county............................................................................ 36 1.11.4 Climate change mitigation measures and adaptation strategies ........................................... 36 1.12 MINING............................................................................................................................................ 36 1.12.1 Ongoing activities .................................................................................................................. 37 1.12.2 Mining potentials ................................................................................................................... 37 2 1.13 TOURISM ......................................................................................................................................... 38 1.13.1 Main tourist attractions ......................................................................................................... 38 1.13.2 Tourist class hotels/restaurants, bed occupancy.................................................................... 38 1.14 INDUSTRY ........................................................................................................................................ 39 1.15 EMPLOYMENT ................................................................................................................................. 40 1.15.1 Wage earners ......................................................................................................................... 40 1.15.2 Self employed ......................................................................................................................... 40 1.15.3 Labour force .......................................................................................................................... 40 1.15.4 Unemployment Levels ............................................................................................................ 40 1.16 WATER AND SANITATION ............................................................................................................... 41 1.16.1 Water resources and quality .................................................................................................. 41 1.16.2 Water supply schemes ............................................................................................................ 41 1.16.3 Water sources ........................................................................................................................ 41 1.16.4 Sanitation ............................................................................................................................... 41 1.17 HEALTH ACCESS AND NUTRITION ................................................................................................. 41 1.17.1 Health Facilities and Personnel ...........................................................................................