REPUBLIC OF KENYA COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF THARAKA-NITHI FIRST COUNTY INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2013-2017 A Globally Competitive and Prosperous Kenya i Nation COUNTY VISION AND MISSION Vision A prosperous and citizen focused county Mission To enhance sustained socio-economic growth through optimal utilization of resources to improve the quality of life for residents in the County ii Table of Contents LIST OF TABLES....................................................................................................................................... X LIST OF MAPS /FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... XI LIST OF ANNEXURES .......................................................................................................................... XII ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS .............................................................................................. XIII FOREWARD ....................................................................................................................................... XVIII ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ..................................................................................................................... XIX EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................... XX CHAPTER ONE: COUNTY GENERAL INFORMATION ............................................................. XXII 1.0 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 POSITION AND SIZE ................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 PHYSIOGRAPHIC AND NATURAL CONDITIONS ............................................................... 3 1.2.1 Physical and Topographic Features ................................................................................................ 3 1.2.2 Ecological Zones .............................................................................................................................. 3 1.2.3 Climatic Conditions ......................................................................................................................... 4 1.3 ADMINISTRATIVE AND POLITICAL UNITS ........................................................................ 4 1.3.1 Administrative Subdivision ............................................................................................................... 4 1.3.2 Political Units .................................................................................................................................. 5 1.4 DEMOGRAPHIC FEATURES .................................................................................................... 7 1.4.1 Population Size and Composition .................................................................................................... 7 1.4.2 Population Density and Distribution ..............................................................................................12 1.5 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS ...............................................................................13 1.6 INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCESS ..........................................................................................14 1.6.1 Road, Rail Network, Ports and Airports, Airstrips and Jetties .......................................................14 1.6.2 Posts and Telecommunications: Post Offices, Mobile Telephony, Landline ...................................14 1.6.3 Financial Institutions: Banks, SACCOs, Micro Finance Institutions ..............................................15 1.6.4 Education Institutions: ECD, Primary/Secondary Schools, Polytechnics, Colleges, Universities .15 1.6.5 Energy Access .................................................................................................................................16 1.6.6 Markets and Urban Centres ............................................................................................................17 1.6.7 Housing ...........................................................................................................................................18 1.7 LAND AND LAND USE ...............................................................................................................18 1.7.1 Mean Holding Size ..........................................................................................................................18 1.7.2 Percentage of Land with Title Deeds ..............................................................................................18 1.7.3 Incidence of Landlessness ...............................................................................................................19 1.8 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS/NON-STATE ACTORS ..................................................19 1.8.1 Cooperative Societies ......................................................................................................................19 1.8.2 Self-Help, Women and Youth Groups ..............................................................................................19 1.8.3 Non-Governmental Organizations ..................................................................................................20 1.9 CROP, LIVESTOCK AND FISH PRODUCTION.....................................................................21 1.9.1 Main Crops Produced .....................................................................................................................21 iii 1.9.2 Acreage Uunder Food Crops and Cash Crops ...............................................................................21 1.9.3 Average Farm Sizes .........................................................................................................................21 1.9.4 Main Storage Facilities ...................................................................................................................22 1.9.5 Main Livestock Bred .......................................................................................................................22 1.9.6 Number of Ranches .........................................................................................................................22 1.9.7 Main Fishing Activities, Types for Fish Produced, Landing Sites ..................................................22 1.10 FORESTRY AND AGRO-FORESTRY ......................................................................................23 1.10.1 Main Forest Types and Size of Forests ...........................................................................................23 1.10.2 Main Forest Products Gazetted and Un-Gazetted Forests .............................................................24 1.10.3 Promotion of Agro-Forestry and Green Economy for: ...................................................................24 1.11 ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE...........................................................................27 1.11.1 Major Contributors to Environmental Degradation in the County .................................................27 1.11.2 Effects of Environmental Degradation ............................................................................................27 1.11.3 Climate Change and its Effects in the County .................................................................................28 1.11.4 Climate Change Mitigation Measures and Adaptation Strategies ..................................................28 1.12 MINING .........................................................................................................................................28 1.12.1 Ongoing Activities ...........................................................................................................................28 1.12.2 Mining Potentials ............................................................................................................................29 1.13 TOURISM ......................................................................................................................................29 1.13.1 Main Tourist Attractions, National Parks/Reserves ........................................................................29 1.13.2 Main Wildlife ...................................................................................................................................29 1.13.3 Tourists Class Hotels/Restaurants, Bed Occupancy .......................................................................30 1.14 INDUSTRY ....................................................................................................................................30 1.15 EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME .......................................................31 1.15.1 Wage Earners ..................................................................................................................................31 1.15.2 Self Employed ..................................................................................................................................31 1.15.3 Labour Force ..................................................................................................................................31 1.15.4 Unemployment Levels .....................................................................................................................32 1.16 WATER AND SANITATION ......................................................................................................32