SIAYA COUNTY ANNUAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2018-19
i
COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF SIAYA
COUNTY INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2018-2022
DECEMBER 2017
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COUNTY INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT PLAN
SIAYA COUNTY
2018-2022
VISION
A model county committed to quality service delivery and sustainable development
MISSION
Achieve sustainable development and excellence using world class methods of service
delivery and technology with emphasis on public participation.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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LIST OF TABLES
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LIST OF MAPS/FIGURES
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LIST OF PLATES (CAPTIONED PHOTOS)
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ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
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GLOSARY OF COMMONLY USED TERMS
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FOREWORD
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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Chapter One:
County General Information
Introduction
This chapter gives the background information on the socio-economic and infrastructural
information that has a bearing on the development of the county. It provides a description of the
county in terms of the location, size, physiographic and natural conditions, demographic profile as
well as political units. In addition, it provides information on human development indicators in the
county, infrastructure and access development, land and land use; community organizations/non-
state actors, irrigation infrastructure, crop, livestock and fish production; forestry, environment and
climate change; mining; tourism; employment and other sources of income; water and sanitation;
health access and nutrition, education and literacy, trade energy, housing, transport and
communication, community development and Social Welfare, public administration and
governance.
1.0. County Overview
The County Government of Siaya was established in March 2013 following the general elections.
In conformity with the law it consists of the two arms, the executive and the legislature headed by
the Governor and Speaker respectively. The executive wing consists of 10 departments and public
service board which is a semi-autonomous body. To ensure smooth running of the counties, the
Transition Authority posted interim county officials and county transition coordinator on the eve of
elections. The interim county officials included interim County Secretary Mr. Caleb Ongoma. The
position of interim county secretary was also held by Mr. Silas Odhiambo, and Mr. KephaMarube.
However, the first substantive county secretary is Mr. Dave Kanundu marking an end to interim
officials in the executive. Apart from the interim officers, Transition Authority also posted County
Transition Coordinators to oversee transition to devolved governments.
The first governor was H.E. Cornel Amoth Rasanga and H.E. Hon. Wilson Ouma as the Deputy
Governor. However, the high court at Kisumu annulled their elections in August 2013, creating a
vacancy in the office of the governor. The vacancy was filled constitutionally by the Speaker Hon.
George Okode until October when the duo were re-elected in a by-elections.
The 10 departments forming the county executive wing are: Finance, Planning and Vision 2030;
governance and public service; ICT, tourism and wildlife conservation, water and irrigation; these
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departments were managed at the technical level by ten County Executive
CommitteeMembers(CECM) and ten Chief Officers(CO).
Public Service Board was established in July 2013. It consist of six members with Hon. Joseph
Donde as the Chairperson.
The assembly comprised 30 elected and 18 nominated members. The first substantive clerk to the
assembly was Mr. Felix Olwero who took over from Mrs. Dorothy Owiro who severed as the
interim Clerk posted by Transition Authority. The assembly also had service board comprising four
members with speaker as the chair of the Board.
1.1. Position and Size
Siaya County is one of the six counties in the Nyanza region. It has a land surface area of
approximately 2,530km² and the water surface area is approximately 1,005 km2. The county is
bordered by Busia County to the North West, Vihiga and Kakamega counties to the North East,
Kisumu County to the South East and Homa Bay County across the Winam Gulf to the South. The
water surface area forms part of Lake Victoria (the third largest fresh water lake in the world). It
approximately lies between latitude 0º 26´ South to 0º 18´ North and longitude 33º 58´ and 34º 33´
east.
Figure 1: Location of the County in Kenya.
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1.2. Physiographic and Natural Conditions
1.2.1. Physical and Topographic Features
Siaya County has three major geomorphology areas namely: Dissected Uplands, Moderate
Lowlands and Yala Swamp. These have different relief, soils and landuse patterns. The
altitudeofthecountyrisesfrom1,140mintheeasternpartsto1,400m abovesealevelinthewest.
Therearefewhillsfoundinthecountynamely;Mbaga,
Odiado,Akala,Regea,Nyambare,Usenge,Ramogihills, Rambugu,Abiero, Sirafuonga andNaya.
RiverNzoiaandYalatraverse thecountyandenterLakeVictoriathroughtheYalaSwamp.
Thephysicalfeatureshaveabearingon theoveralldevelopmentpotentialofthecounty.
HighaltitudeareasformingGem,UgenyaandUgunjasub-countieshave higherrainfall
hencesuitablefor agricultureandlivestockkeeping. RiversNzoia,YalaandLake
Kanyabolihavegreatpotentialforirrigation.ThelowaltitudeareasofBoro,Uranga,
UyomaandWagaireceive lessrainfallandthusaresuitable forcottongrowing
anddroughtresistantcropvarieties.
ThegeologyoftheareaiscomposedoftheoldNyanziansystemformingexposedrocks
inSiayaUgenya,UgunjaandGemSub-counties.Theserocksinclude basalts,desitesand rylites, and
are the bearers of course and fine aggregates used in the construction
industry.Themainsoiltypeisferrasolsanditsfertilityrangesfrommoderatetolow with
mostsoilsbeingunabletoproducewithouttheuseof eitherorganic,inorganicorin mostcasesboth
typesof fertilizers. Mostof theareashaveunderlyingmurramwithpoor moistureretention.
Bondo sub-county has various soil types ranging from black-cotton, sandy loamsto laterite
including red volcanic soils. West Sakwa, South Nyang’oma and Usigulocations have ferrasols,
while North Sakwa, East and Central Yimbo have luvisols with low- moderate fertility. The soil
types in Rarieda ranges from black cotton soil in MadianyDivision and sandy loams and red
volcanic soils in Rarieda Division. The expansive Yala Swamp around Ramogi Hill has
potential for large scale- irrigation using river Yala. Bondo Sub-county also has several islands
including Mageta, Sirigombe, Magariand Yalombo.
1.2.2. Ecological Conditions
Ecologically,thecountyspreadsacrossagro-ecologicalzonesLM1toLM5.According
totheKenyaSoil SurveyandIntegratedRegionalDevelopmentplanfor theLakeBasin
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DevelopmentAuthority,thelowerpartofthecounty andespeciallytheshoresofLake Victoriacan
becategorizedintosemi-humid,semi-dry LowerMidlandzones(LM4and LM5).These zones cover
thewhole ofUyomainRariedaSub-county and Yimboin BondoSub-
county.Thelowercentralpartsofthecounty,coveringthewholeofSakwaandAsemboin
BondoandRariedaSub-
countisrespectivelyandthelowerpartsofBoroDivisionareclassifiedasthemidlandzoneLM3.Thenort
hernpartof thecounty comprisingGem,UgunjaandUgenyaSub-
countiesandtheupperpartsofBoroDivision inSiayaSub-countyareclassifiedasthelow-
midlandzones(LM2andLM3).Theseare sub-
humidandhumidzoneswithreliableprecipitation.Therearealsopockets of upper
midlandzones(about30sq.kms)inYalaDivision,GemSub-countywithahighpotential
foragriculturalactivity.
1.2.3. Climatic Conditions
Thecountyexperiencesabi-modalrainfall,withlongrainsfallingbetweenMarchand June and
shortrains between September andNovember. Therelief and thealtitude
influenceitsdistributionandamount.Siayacountyis drierin thewesternparttowards
BondoandRariedasub-countiesandiswettertowardsthehigheraltitudesintheeastern
partparticularlyGem,UgunjaandUgenyasub-counties. Onthehighlands,therainfall
rangesbetween800mm–2,000mmwhilelowerareasreceiverainfallrangingbetween800–1,600mm.
Temperaturesvarywithaltituderisingfrom21°CintheNorthEasttoabout22.50°C
alongtheshoresofLakeVictoria whileintheSouth,itranges frommeanminimum temperature of
16.3 C and mean maximum temperature of 29.1 C. Humidity is
relativelyhighwithmeanevaporationbeingbetween1,800mmto 2,200mmperannum
withinthecounty.Therelativehumidityrangesbetween73percentinthemorningand52percentintheaf
ternoon.
1.3. Administrative and Political Units
1.3.1: Administrative Sub Division
The county consist of six sub-counties, thirty wards and seven hundred villages. Alego Usonga,
Bondo and Gem sub counties have six wards each; Rarieda, Ugenya and Ugunja sub counties have
five, four and three wards respectively. Of the six sub-counties, Alego Usonga is the largest with an
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approximate area of 605.8 km2 while Ugunja is the smallest with an approximate area of 200.9 km2.
Table 1.1 shows details of the administrative units forming Siaya County.
Table 1.1: Siaya County Administrative Units
Sub-County No of Wards Ward Sub location/village Area (Km2)
Alego- Usonga
6 Township Mulaha, Nyandiwa, Karapul 605.8
Usonga Sumba, Nyadorera A, Nyadorera B
North alego Hono, nyalgunga,ulafu,nyamila,umala, olwa
South east alego Mur ngiya, bar agulu, bar ding, masumbi, nyangoma, pap oriang, randago, bar osimbo, pap oriang, nyajuok, murmalanga, bar olengo
Centralalego Kadenge, obambo, ojuando A, nyandiwa, kochieng A, kochieng B, ojuando B, koyeyo, kakumukombewa, komolo
West alego Kaugagi hawing, gangu, kaugagiudenda, maholaulawe, sigomauranga, kaburauhuyi, kalkadauradi, komenyakowala, komenyakalaka, kodiere,
Gem 6 North gem Ndere, nyabeda, malanga, got regea, maliera, lundha, asayi, sirembe
405
South gem Kaudha west, kaudha east, kanyadet, ndori, rera, kambare, oyinyore, gombe
East gem Ramula, uranga, lihanda, marenyo
Central gem Siriwo, kagilo, gango, nyandiwa, nyawara
Yala township Nyamninia, sauri, anyiko,jina
West gem Dienya west, dienya east, wagai west, wagai east, nguge, uriri, malunga west, malunga east, malunga central
Ugenya 4 North ugenya Kagonya, sega, jera, nyamsenda, ligala 322.3
East ugenya Anyiko, sihay, ramunde, kathieno A, kathieno B, kathieno C
Ukwala Doho west, doho east, simur, simur east, yenga, siranga, simurkondiek
West ugenya Sifuyo west, sifuyo east, masat west, masat east, karadolo west, karadolo east, ndenga, uyundo, nyalenya
Ugunja 3 Ugunja, Magoya, rambulasouth,rambula north, ugunja, ambira, ngunya, umala, ligega
200.9
sigomre, Got osimbo, mungao, sigomre, madungu, asango east, asango west, tingare east, tingare west
Sidindi Rangala, simenya, yiro east, yiro west, ruwe, uhuyi
Bondo 6 North sakwa Bar Kowino, Ajigo, Bar Chando, Abom 593
South sakwa West Migwena, East Migwena, Got Abiero, Nyaguda
Central sakwa Ndeda/Oyamo, Uyawi, Nyang’oma
West sakwa Maranda,Kapiyo, Usire,Utonga,Nyawita
East yimbo Got Ramogi, Usigu,Nyamonye, Bar Kanyango,Pala, Othatch
West yimbo Got Agulu,Usenge, Mahanga,Mitundu
Rarieda 5 North Uyoma Masala, East Katwenga, West Katwenga, Ragegni, Ochieng’a 403.4
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Sub-County No of Wards Ward Sub location/village Area (Km2)
South Uyoma Ndigwa, lieta, Naya
East Asembo Omiamalo, Omiadiere, South ramba, North ramba, Omiamwalo
West Asembo Nyagoko, Siger, Memba, Mahaya, Akom
West uyoma Nyabera, Kokwiri, Rachar, Kobengi,Kagwa
County's Administrative / Political units
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1.3.2: Political Units
The county consist of six constituencies and thirty wards. Alego Usonga, Bondo and Gem
constituencies have six wards each; Rarieda, Ugenya and Ugunja constituencies have five, four and
three wards respectively.
Table 1.2: Political units in Siaya County Constituency No of Wards Ward Area (sq.Km)
Alego-Usonga 6 Township
Usonga
North alego
South east alego
Central alego
West alego
Gem 6 North gem
South gem
East gem
Central gem
Yala township
West gem
Ugenya 4 North ugenya
East ugenya
Ukwala
West ugenya
Ugunja 3 Ugunja,
sigomre,
Sidindi
Bondo 6 North sakwa
South sakwa
Central sakwa
West sakwa
East yimbo
West yimbo
Rarieda 5 North Uyoma
South Uyoma
East Asembo
West Asembo
West uyoma
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1.4 Demographic Features
Settlement patterns in the County follow the agro-ecological zones and fish landing bays with the
high potential areas having the highest population density in the County. The total population of
Siaya County as at 2017 was estimated to be 965,007 persons (KNBS 2013 Population projections).
With an annual population growth rate of 1.7 per cent, the county population is projected to be
1,049,952 persons in 2022 (497,282 males and 552,670 females) and 1,255,556 persons in 2027.
The average county population density is 400.7persons/sq.Km in 2017 and is projected to grow to
436.3 persons/sq.km in 2022. High potential areas include South Alego, Ukwala, North Ugenya,
Central Ugenya, Yala, Wagai, Central Sakwa, Mageta Island and Asembo Central locations. Low
potential areas include South West Alego, Usonga, West Sakwa, Usigu and East Uyoma locations
which have low population densities. There are large nuclear settlements along major fish landing
beaches such as Misori, Luanda Kotieno and Kamarigo in Rarienda Sub-County; and WichLum,
Usenge, Uhunya, Honge and Nangoo in Bondo sub-County.
1.4.1. Population Size and Composition
Table 1.3 shows population of the county in cohorts from 2009 and projections to 2022. From the
table, the total population of the county was 841,682 in 2009 rising to 900,908 in 2013. Currently,
for 2017 the population is estimated at 965,007 and is projected to rise to 1,049,849 in 2022,
1,143,827 in 2027 and 1,203,675 in 2030.
The population of persons between 0-35 and 70 years and above was 693,905 and 33,893
respectively in 2013 rising to 742,732 and 36,279 in 2017. In 2017, 0-35 comprises 77.02 per cent
of the population while 70 years and above constitute 3.76 per cent.
Gender analysis shows that in 2009, there were slightly more males than female in the 0-35 years
population. However, when total population is taken in to consideration, females (52.67%) are
more than male (47.33%) and the status quo remains with the projection to 2030. The higher
population of females as compared to males can be attributed to the low life expectancy rate of 38.3
years for males as compared to 43.6 years for females.
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Projected Age Cohort Age group
2009 2013 2017 2022 2030 Projected
Census Projected Projected Projected
Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total
0-4 71,362 70,716 142,078 76,383 75,692 152,075 81,758 81,018 162,776 89,011 88,206 177,217 101,979 101,056 203,035
5_9 60,960 60,710 121,670 65,249 64,982 130,231 69,841 69,554 139,395 76,037 75,725 151,762 87,114 86,757 173,871
10_14 58,296 56,248 114,544 62,398 60,206 122,604 66,789 64,442 131,231 72,714 70,159 142,873 83,307 80,380 163,687
15-19 49,220 47,825 97,045 52,683 51,190 103,874 56,390 54,792 111,183 61,393 59,653 121,047 70,337 68,344 138,681
20-24 32,725 41,443 74,168 35,028 44,359 79,387 37,492 47,480 84,973 40,819 51,693 92,511 46,765 59,224 105,989
25-29 25,961 30,135 56,096 27,788 32,255 60,043 29,743 34,525 64,268 32,382 37,588 69,970 37,099 43,064 80,163
30-34 20,359 22,328 42,687 21,792 23,899 45,691 23,325 25,581 48,906 25,394 27,850 53,244 29,094 31,908 61,001
35-39 14,793 17,932 32,725 15,834 19,194 35,028 16,948 20,544 37,492 18,452 22,367 40,819 21,140 25,625 46,765
40-44 11,118 16,082 27,200 11,900 17,214 29,114 12,738 18,425 31,163 13,868 20,059 33,927 15,888 22,982 38,870
45-49 10,390 15,486 25,876 11,121 16,576 27,697 11,904 17,742 29,646 12,960 19,316 32,276 14,848 22,130 36,978
50-54 9,074 14,541 23,615 9,712 15,564 25,277 10,396 16,659 27,055 11,318 18,137 29,456 12,967 20,780 33,747
55-59 8,414 12,265 20,679 9,006 13,128 22,134 9,640 14,052 23,692 10,495 15,298 25,793 12,024 17,527 29,551
60-64 7,712 11,083 18,795 8,255 11,863 20,118 8,835 12,698 21,533 9,619 13,824 23,443 11,021 15,838 26,859
65-69 5,107 7,732 12,839 5,466 8,276 13,742 5,851 8,858 14,709 6,370 9,644 16,014 7,298 11,049 18,347
70-74 5,175 7,173 12,348 5,539 7,678 13,217 5,929 8,218 14,147 6,455 8,947 15,402 7,395 10,250 17,646
75-79 3,539 5,464 9,003 3,788 5,848 9,636 4,055 6,260 10,315 4,414 6,815 11,230 5,057 7,808 12,866
80+ 4,159 6,155 10,314 4,452 6,588 11,040 4,765 7,052 11,817 5,188 7,677 12,865 5,943 8,796 14,739
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1.4.2. Population Density and Distribution
Table 1.4 shows that Alego-Usonga had the highest population at 200,418 persons while Ugunja
Constituency had the lowest population at 101,345 persons in 2013. The high population density at
471.3 persons per km2 in Ugunja Constituency in 2017 can be attributed to limited land mass in the
constituency. This population density is currently estimated to be 504.5 persons per km2 in Ugunja
with a population projection of 101,345 persons. Bondo and Alego-Usonga have the lowest
population densities standing at 304.3 and 354.1 persons per square kilometer respectively with the
highest populations projected at 214,521 and 180,470 persons.
Projected Population Density and Distribution 2009 Census 2013 Projected 2017 Projected 2022 Projected 2030 Projected
Sub county Population Density Population Density Population Density Population Density Population Density
Alego-Usonga 187,243 309.1 200,418 330.8 214,521 354.1 233,553 385.5 267,577 441.7
Bondo 157,522 265.6 168,606 284.3 180,470 304.3 196,481 331.3 225,105 379.6
Gem 160,675 396.7 171,981 424.6 184,082 454.5 200,414 494.8 229,610 566.9
Rarieda 134,558 333.6 144,026 357.0 154,161 382.2 167,837 416.1 192,288 476.7
Ugenya 113,848 353.2 121,859 378.1 130,434 404.7 142,005 440.6 162,693 504.8
Ugunja 88,458 440 94,682 471.3 101,345 504.5 110,336 549.2 126,410 629.2
1.4.3: Population Projection for Special Age Groups
Populations can also be defined by selected age groups. These include, infants, under 5, primary
school going age (6-13 years), secondary school going age (14-17years), the youth (15-29 years),
female reproductive age (15-49) years, the labour force (15-64 years) and the aged population of 65
years and above. These age groups have been identified for analysis because of their critical role in
the socio-economic development of the County.
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Population Projection for Specials Age Groups 24-Aug-09 2013 2017 2022 2030 Projected
Census Projected Projected Projected
Age Group Male Fema
le
Total Male Fema
le
Total Male Fema
le
Total Male Fema
le
Total Male Fema
le
Total
Under 1 15,0
93
14,8
60
29,9
53
16,1
55
15,9
06
32,0
61
17,2
92
17,0
25
34,3
17
18,8
26
18,5
35
37,3
61
21,5
68
21,2
35
42,8
04
under 5 71,3
62
70,7
61
142,
123
76,3
83
75,7
40
152,
124
81,7
58
81,0
70
162,
828
89,0
11
88,2
62
177,
273
101,
979
101,
120
203,
099
Primary sch age
6-13
95,5
39
93,5
36
189,
075
102,
262
100,
118
202,
379
109,
457
107,
163
216,
620
119,
168
116,
670
235,
838
136,
529
133,
666
270,
195
Sec sch age 14-
17
42,4
98
41,8
77
84,3
75
45,4
88
44,8
24
90,3
12
48,6
89
47,9
78
96,6
67
53,0
09
52,2
34
105,
243
60,7
31
59,8
44
120,
575
Youth popln
15-35
107,
906
119,
403
227,
309
115,
499
127,
805
243,
304
123,
626
136,
798
260,
424
134,
594
148,
934
283,
528
154,
202
170,
631
324,
833
Reproductive
age 15-49
191,
231
191,
231
- 204,
687
204,
687
- 219,
090
219,
090
- 238,
527
238,
527
- 273,
276
273,
276
Labour force
15-64
179,
766
229,
120
408,
886
192,
415
245,
242
437,
657
205,
955
262,
499
468,
453
224,
226
285,
787
510,
013
256,
892
327,
421
584,
313
Aged popln 65+ 18,2
57
26,8
15
45,0
72
19,5
42
28,7
02
48,2
44
20,9
17
30,7
21
51,6
38
22,7
72
33,4
47
56,2
19
26,0
90
38,3
20
64,4
10
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Under 1 year: The population of children under 1 years is estimated as 34,317 in 2017 and is
projected to increase to 37,361 persons in 2022. This population is vulnerable to preventable
illnesses hence specific health interventions should be focused on to reduce high incidences of
morbidity and mortality.
Under 5 years: The population of children under 5 is estimated at 162,828 in 2017 and is expected
to increase to 177,273 persons in 2022. This implies that measures have to be put in place to ensure
that under 5 years’ mortality rate is reduced from the current 159 per 1000 live births ( according to
MICS 2011) to less than 70 per 1000 during the plan period.
Primary School going (6-13 years): The population of the primary school age group is estimated
at 216,620 and is expected to rise to 235,838 and 270,195 persons in 2022 and 2030 respectively.
Males are expected to constitute the majority of this age group compared to females. There is need
to increase primary school facilities and employment of more teachers to cater for the growing
numbers of pupils. This population also requires targeted interventions on sanitation, nutrition and
reproductive health and can serve as important change agents for adoption of healthy behavioral
practices within the community.
Secondary School going (14-17 Years): The population of secondary school age group was 90,312
persons in 2013. The population of is expected to rise to 96,667 persons in 2017 and then to
105,243 persons in 2017. This population calls for continued investment in social and economic
infrastructure like schools, training institutions and employment creation. Efforts should further be
made to ensure high transition rates.
Youth Population (15-35): It is estimated that currently there 260.424 young persons in the County
and this is projected to increase to 283,528 persons by 2022. The male: female sex ratio of the youth
population in 2017 is 47:53. Due to the increasing youth population, there will be need for more
programmes that address youth issues such as training, health, recreation facilities and employment
opportunities. There is also need to increase the number of sports and recreational facilities to
engage youth in sports and various recreational activities. In addition, this is the group that is most
affected by HIV/AIDS in the county which calls for specific interventions aimed at addressing the
scourge e.g by investment in youth friendly centers in the county
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Reproductive Age Group (15-49 years): Currently the female reproductive population is
estimated at 219,090 representing 22.7 per cent of the population and is projected to increase to
238,527 persons by 2022. The continued increase in population of this age group will require more
resources to meet the rising demand for family planning and maternal and child health services.
Furthermore, deliberate interventions must be put in place to increase the percentage of mothers
delivering under skilled attendance from 56% in 2012 to 70% by end of 2017. This integrated plan
intends to reduce maternal mortality from 691 per 100,000 mothers to less than 300 per 100,000
mothers by the end of the plan period.
Labour Force (15-64 years): In 2013 it was estimated that 437,657 people were in the labour force
age category. This is projected at 468,453 persons in 2017 and is expected to increase to 510,013
persons by 2022. These economically active people represent 49.7 per cent of the total population in
the County (Siaya County Statistical Abstract 2015, KNBS). This calls for more resources to be
channeled to employment driven investments to reduce the burden of dependency and poverty.
Most of the labour force in the County is unskilled and therefore, there is need to set up appropriate
tertiary training institutions to cater for the primary and secondary school drop-outs.
Aged Population (65 years and above): The aged population was standing at 48,244 persons in
2013. The population in this age group currently (2017) stands at 51,638 persons and is expected to
increase marginally to 56,219 by 2022.The low population of the aged can be explained by the low
life expectancy rate of both males and females which stands at 38.3 and 43.6 respectively. This
group, is characterized by lives with non-communicable conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases,
cancers, diabetes and mental health, which need to be focused on during the plan period. There will
be need for the expansion of social protection initiatives targeting this group so as to reduce the
dependency ratio while up-lifting the living standards of this group.
1.5. Human Development Approach
Human development is both a goal and a process of empowering people to lead the lives they
value by expanding their capabilities, freedoms, and choices. Principles of human
development are equity within and across groups, efficiency in the use of resources,
empowerment in terms of provision of resources and opportunities for people to participate in
the development process, sustainability (of environmental, social, economic and political
policies), and inclusiveness.
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According to 2016 Human Development Report , Kenya is among countries with medium
Human Development Index, with a value of 0.555 at position.Its life expectancy is 62.2 and
Expected years of schooling 11.1.The ranking was in categories of Very High human
development, High human development, Medium Human Development and Low human
development.
Despite progress in human development at the global regional and national levels, uneven,
and human deprivations persist. Progress has bypassed groups, communities, societies — and
people have been left out. Some have achieved only the basics of human development, and
some not even that. This is one of the driving forces behind the new constitutional
dispensation in Kenya in which national and county governments co-exist to address the
emerging inequalities and marginalisation
It is noted that counties are yet to embark on preparing county human development reports
(CHDR). This will raise public awareness and trigger action on critical human development
concerns, strengthen national statistical and analytic capacity to assess and promote people-
centred development; and shape policies and programmes by providing options and broad
recommendations based on concrete analysis.
1.6 Infrastructure Development
1.6.1. Road, Rail Network, Ports, Airstrips and Jetties
Roads - The county had 434.2km of bitumen standard roads, 1297.41km gravel , 532.78km of earth
and a further 1,170.89 narrow roads. Major roads traversing the count are Kisumu-Busia
Highway(which is an international trunk road, class A), Luanda-Siaya, Siaya-Nyadorera, Rangala-
Siaya-Bondo, Ngiya-Ndori, Ndori-Luanda-Kotieno, Bondo-Misori and Kisian-Bondo-Usenge
roads. In addition, there are roads which are being upgraded to bitumen standard, these include
Akala Luanda, Kodiaga-Wagai-Aluor-Onyinyore-Akala, Ugunja-Ukwala-Nyadorera, ButereUgunja
and Boro-Ndere roads.
Airstrips - There are three main airstrips in the county namely Gombe, Dominion and Sega. Their
conditions are not very good and require attention.There is no airport in the county but Kisumu
International Airport is only 75kms to Siaya town centre
Rail Network – Railway line passes through the county in Gem with a station at Yala. However,
the line is not in use.
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Harbours and Jetties - There are three jetties in the county namely Luanda K’otieno, Asembo Bay
and Usenge. Out of these, Asembo Bay is not functional.
1.6.2. Posts and Telecommunication
There are 28 post offices and 21 sub-post offices spread across the county. Postal services are also
provided by G4S, Wells Fargo and EMS. In addition, couriers services are also provided by
registered public service vehicles such as Easy Coach and the Guardian.
It is estimated that 75.2 per cent of the households in the County own a radio, 13.7 per cent
television sets, 90 per cent mobile phones with main operators being Safaricom and Airtel
communication companies, 0.5 per cent landline and 1.2 per cent of the households own computers.
Siaya County headquarters has a fibre optic cable that has led to increased internet connectivity.It is
important to note that most of the government offices have internet connection through modems.
1.6.3. Energy Access
The main sources of lighting in the County include: paraffin (93.9%), electricity (4.3%), solar
(0.9%) and gas lamps (0.4%) while the main sources of cooking fuel used in the households include
firewood (84.55%), LPG gas (0.7%) charcoal (13.4%) while 0.9 per cent of the households use
paraffin. Seventy seven percent of Trading centres, 84 percent of health facilities and ninety four
percent of secondary schools across the county are connected to electricity. The main cooking
appliances include traditional stone fire (77.45%), ordinary jiko(11.1%), improved traditional stone
fire (5.1%), improved jiko (4.2%), gas cooker (0.95%), kerosene stove (0.8%) and electric cooker at
0.2 percent.
Energy is a critical driver of the economy, standard of living and national security of every country. The
level and the intensity of energy use in a country is a key indicator of economic growth and development.
The Kenya Vision 2030 identified energy as one of the infrastructure enablers of its social economic pillar.
1.6.3.1 Provision in Constitution
The Energy Bill, 2015 is the first legal attempt to harmonize the Constitution and the Energy Act, 2006. It
codifies the following provisions for County participation in energy matters. The sixth schedule of the Act
delineates the following functions to County governments should the bill be enacted.
COUNTY ENERGY
PLANNING
COUNTY ENERGY REGULATION
COUNTY OPERATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT
Preparation of County
energy plans
Regulation and licensing of
retail petroleum service
stations.
Electricity and gas reticulation.
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Physical planning relating
to renewable energy
resource areas
Regulation and licensing of
County gas reticulation
systems.
Provide and maintain adequate street
lighting.
Provision of land and rights
of way for energy
infrastructure.
Regulation and licensing and
supply of retail coal products
for domestic use.
Provision of designated parking for
petroleum tankers.
Facilitation of energy
demand by planning for
industrial parks and other
energy consuming
activities.
Regulation and licensing of
designated parking for
petroleum tankers.
Collect and maintain energy data.
Preparation and
implementation of disaster
management plans.
Regulation and licensing of
biomass production, transport
and distribution.
Implementation of County
electrification projects.
Regulation and licensing of
biogas systems.
Undertake feasibility studies and
maintain data with a view to availing
the same to developers of energy
resources and infrastructure.
Regulation and licensing of
charcoal production,
transportation and distribution.
Establishment of energy centers for
promotion of renewable energy
technologies, energy efficiency and
conservation.
Customize National codes for
energy efficiency
Protection of energy infrastructure
Undertake energy efficiency and
conservation within the County.
1.6.3.2 Lighting
By June 2016, about 24% per cent of households were connected to the national grid as domestic users,
according to KPLC County Electricity Access Rates of June 2016. Approximately 70 per cent of the County
lacks electricity supply especially within the growing market centers and recently created administrative
political units hindering the realization of the County’s potentials in agri-business processing, jua-kali
development and efficient service delivery as well as stemming of the rural-urban migration. Frequent power
interruptions adversely affect businesses‘and institutions’ operations. The County Government shall put in
place strategies to improve access and stability of power supply.
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The connectivity status still requires great improvement as the table below illustrates some drawbacks:
Analysis on Issues in Electricity Supply and Causes
Sector
Causes
Development
objectives
Immediate
objectives
Strategies
Major issue: POOR PHYSICAL ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE
Electricity Poor electricity
connectivity in
the County
Generators are
expensive
High Cost of
power for public
water supply
utilities
Transformers are
Expensive
Few Companies
do Solar
installation
Frequent Power
Outages
To increase
electricity
connectivity
Increase no of
Transformers and
purchase
Generators.
To increase
connectivity
Phased purchase of
Transformers and
Generators within the
County
Upscale Rural
electrification programme
Institutionalize use of
renewable energy
Outsource more energy
efficient pumps
Liberalize market of
transformers
Enhance networking by
generating synergies
Promote use of
alternative energy sources
for energy security
Source: Department of Energy
1.6.3.3 Cooking Fuel
The majority of Siaya County’s population depends on wood fuel for cooking. With estimates that 97 percent
of households use firewood or charcoal for cooking and heating, population growth and associated increases
in demand for farming and residential land will undoubtedly accelerate deforestation and exacerbate the
effects of climate change in the county.
1.6.3.4 County Energy Plans
The county intends to invest in Energy generation projects under the structure of Build Own Operate and
Transfer (BOOT) which will see the assets thereunder developed and subsequently transferred to the County
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government upon the expiration of the projects’ respective Power Purchase Agreements (assuming that the
private investors are able to realize a fair rate of return during the life of the PPA). With this approach, the
County will accrue the following benefits:
A diversification of revenue streams resulting from dividends provided by the electricity generation
projects
Increased electricity access for domestic and commercial consumers connected to the national grid
network in Siaya County
Short- and medium-term job creation during the construction and operations phase of projects
Capacity building and development of the technical, legal and financial expertise of County and
associated staff tied to project development
By employing site visits and desktop research the county energy team has made the following observations:
a. The County has the potential of generating small hydro power projects, biomass projects using
agricultural waste
b. The County has an extensive and far reaching grid and road network that favours project construction
c. The County also presents a significant opportunity for point of use domestic energy applications to
reduce ligneous fuel consumption and to abate carbon emissions.
1.6.3.5 Energy Data
No. Form of Energy Application Statistics
1 Trading centres with electricity 126
2 Trading centres without electricity 37
3 Health facilities with electricity 327
4 Health facilities without electricity 60
5 Secondary Schools with electricity 140
6 Secondary Schools without electricity 9
HH distribution by main cooking fuel: %
1 Firewood 84.55
2 Grass 0
3 Paraffin 0.9
4 Electricity 0.2
5 Gas (LPG) 0.7
6 Charcoal 13.4
7 Biomass Residue 0
8 Biogas 0
9 Other 0.25
HH distribution by main lighting fuel %
1 Firewood 0.2
2 Grass 0.1
3 Paraffin 93.9
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4 Electricity 4.3
5 Solar 0.9
6 Gas (LPG) 0.4
7 Dry cell (torch) 0.1
8 Candles 0.1
Households distribution by cooking appliance type: %
1 Traditional stone fire 77.45
2 Improved traditional stone fire 5.1
3 Ordinary Jiko 11.1
4 Improved Jiko 4.2
5 Kerosene Stove 0.8
6 Gas Cooker 0.95
7 Electric cooker 0.2
8 Other 0.2
9 Institutions (schools, hospitals, prisons, etc.) using improved wood-fuel cooking
stoves
159
10 Institutions (schools, hospitals, prisons, etc.) using LPG 7
11 Institutions (schools, hospitals, prisons, etc.) using kerosene 0
12 Institutions (schools, hospitals, prisons, etc.) using solar energy 15
13 Institutions (schools, hospitals, prisons, etc.) that have established woodlots 379
1.6.4. Housing
The classification on housing is based on the walling, roofing and floor materials used. It is
estimated that 70.1 per cent of the households have earth floor, 29.0 per cent have cement floor,
0.40 per cent have tiles while 0.4 per cent have wooden floor. 63.8 percent of households use
mud/wood as the main type of walling material while 0.1 of the households use tin as the main type
of wall material. This can be associated with the high levels of poverty in the County and has also
led to the high levels of jigger infestations. The main types of roofing material used in the County
include: corrugated iron sheets (65.9 percent), makuti/grass (32.1 per cent) and asbestos sheet (0.9
per cent).
Available housing units in the County are only 20 percent of the total demand. The demand is high
while the supply is very low. There is need for more housing units to meet the supply for more units
to meet the surging demands (grammer). House provision is mostly owner occupier in the rural
areas. In urban areas, provision is mostly by the private developers, National Housing Cooperation
and Ministry of Housing for civil servants. NHC has land for future development at the County
headquarters. The Ministry of Housing indicates the total number of dwelling units for constructed
for government departments in Siaya County as 233( grammar and addition) ; 15 units of High
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Grade (HG) 104 units of Medium Grade (MG) and 139 units of Low Grades(LG) of Government
houses. They are occupied by the following government departments; Police, Health personnel,
Ministry of Agriculture personnel, provincial administration, Department of Survey,Ministry of
Housing and public works. Distributions of these houses are as indicated here below:-
Table 1.2: Government Housing Units POLICE LINE AP. LINE TOTALS
HG MG LG MG LG MG LG
SIAYA SUB COUNTY 8 72 49 65 0 1 23 218
BONDO SUB COUNTY 3 6 2 2 28 0 15 56
GEM SUB COUNTY 0 15 52 0 16 0 4 87
UGENYA SUB COUNTY 3 7 14 2 22 0 6 54
UGUNJA SUB COUNTY 0 2 6 0 0 0 0 8
RARIEDA SUB COUNTY 1 2 16 0 0 0 0 19
TOTALS 15 104 139 69 66 1 48 442
Tally of figures
Source: County Housing Office 2013
There are two types of housing units in Siaya County, permanent and semi-permanent. Permanent
dwellings, constructed using materials that can maintain stability for more than two decades such as
tiles, iron sheets, ballast, cement, wood and iron bars. Semi-permanent dwelling units on the other
hand are constructed using materials that are both permanent and temporary such as clay, wood or
grass that cannot maintain stability for more than a decade. Government houses in Siaya County are
constructed of stone/ concrete blocks on super structure walling. Roofing is of GCI sheets/Asbestos
and Mangalore tiles while floors are of screed. Due to state of disrepair these houses are badly
dilapidated and require refurbishment
The rent ranges from KShs.1000 for a one bedroom unit to KShs.12, 000 for a three bedroom self-
contained unit for rentals constructed by private developers. Government quarters are considerably
affordable compared with privately rented quarters. Market rent rate charged on government houses
is dictated by the occupation space therein and valuation done by qualified government valuer.
1.7. Land and Land Use
Land in Siaya County is categorised based on the Constitution of Kenya 2010 as follows: private
land, public land and community land.
Private land, which forms most of the land in the county, is the category of land owned by private
individuals. The rights and interests of this category of land have been fully ascertained through the
process of land adjudication and therefore relatively easy to acquire for investment purposes. There
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however still exist sections whose rights and interest have not been determined and the county
government needs to intervene to have the process finalised.
Approximately 2059 square kilometres of land is arable and a major form of land use is peasantry
agriculture. Only small potion Siaya town has been set aside for industrial use. There is need to
demarcate more land for industrial use in major urban centres in the county.
Most of the lands in the rural areas are under general boundaries prone to a lot of boundary
disputes, while in Urban centers there are fixed surveys which are free from disputes. The first
category requires that this general surveys be geo-referenced to reduce the number of disputes
arising from the boundaries.
1.7.1. Land Ownership Categories
1.7.2. Mean Holding Size
The average farm size in the County varies from sub-County to sub-County, for instance the
average farm size for small scale farmers in Bondo sub-County is approximately 3.0 Ha while in
Siaya sub-County is 1.02 Ha. The average farm size for large scale farm stands at approximately 7.0
ha.
Due to high cost of processing land transactions and succession charges, there are a lot of informal
land subdivisions in the County.
1.7.3. Percentage of Land with Title Deeds
As at 2012, 259,124 farmers had been issued with title deeds. Most of these titles however, bear
names of the forefathers while the current occupiers of the land are third generation owners with no
titles.
This means that there are limited collateral for securing loans to undertake different kind of
business, hence reducing the possibility of micro-investments within the County and the region at
large. During the plan period, efforts are expected to be made to formalize land ownership
1.7.4. Incidence of Landlessness
Siaya County is majorly inhabited by families that trace their land ownership mostly based on their
ancestral lineage. The culture of land ownership is under threat following the emerging trend of
leasing or selling land for commercial endeavors. This trend is likely to lead to cases of landlessness
in the near future. In Ugunja, Gem and Ugenya there is limited land for agriculture due to the high
population densities. Following the 2007/2008 post-election violence, a percentage of the residents
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of the County were displaced from various parts of the County. Almost all of those displaced traced
their way to their ancestral land in which they were welcome. Generally there are no cases of
landlessness in the County.
1.7.5. Settlement Patterns
1.7.6. Types and Size of Land
1.8. Employment
1.8.1. Wage Earners
1.8.2. Self Employed
1.8.3. Labour Force by Sector
The county’s labour force was projected to be 468,474 in 2017 out of which 205,964 were men
and 262,510 were women. It is projected that this will increase to 484,677 in
2019 and 510,036 in 2022. Inviewofthesedynamics,therewillbeneedtoinvestinkey
sectorsoftheeconomyinordertocreateemploymentopportunitiesforthisforce.
1.8.4. Unemployment Levels
Employment and Other Sources of Income Wages Earners
Wage employment in the county forms approximately 17% of the total employment opportunities
scattered across various sectors including agriculture, Non-Governmental Organizations, the
government and in the transport industry. Agriculture alone provides approximately 61% of all
employment opportunities in the county.
Self Employed
The urban self -employed comprise 14 percent of the total labour force while 8 percent is rural
based. Most people in the rural areas are self -employed and engaged in small scale businesses
operating kiosksselling grocery, foodstuffs, small hotels and ‘bodaboda services and undertaking
small scale farming.
The urban self- employment includes those in businesses like shop keeping, hotels, chemists, hair
dressing foodstuff trade, cottage industry among others.
The County’s labour force was projected to be 430,300 in 2012 out of which 189,181 were men and
241,119 were women. It is projected that this will increase to 452,815 in 2015 and 468,497 in 2017.
Inview of these dynamics, there will be need to invest in key sectors of the economy in order to
createemployment opportunities for this force.
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Unemployment Levels
It is estimated that approximately 40% which translates to 172,120 persons in the counties labour
force is unemployed. These high levels of unemployment may be explained by low access to
affordable credits, lack of collateral and more often overreliance on white collar jobs with total
disregard to self-employment.
In this regard, more opportunities need to be created with an aim of addressing the
unemploymentproblem. The county government has put in place various programmes that will
expand opportunities forthe youth and women. Nonetheless, there is need for more interventions by
all stakeholders tocomplement government’s initiatives.
1.9. Irrigation Infrastructure and Schemes
1.9.1. Irrigation Potential
Siaya County has an irrigation potential of 7100 HA. The area suitable for irrigation are found
along Lake Victoria and Kanyaboli; River Yala , Nzoia and major streams such as Wuoroya.
Over-reliance on rain fed agriculture has been the major reason for food insecurity in Siaya County.
This has made the county a net importer for most foodstuffs. With an irrigation potential of 7100Ha,
Siaya County would be food secure if more focus is put on expanding area under irrigation from the
current 10% to 20% in the next five years. Besides, there is need to rehabilitate and expand the old
schemes and improve the water use efficiency from the current 35% to 50% within the existing
irrigation schemes.
Farmers undertaking irrigation farming are few with very low adoption level on irrigation farming
techniques, this situation calls for enhanced irrigation extension services.
Irrigation farming in the county besides ensuring food security for the populace would create
employment and stem rural - urban migration.
The County government of Siaya plans to put more focus on programs aimed at revitalizing stalled
irrigation schemes and increasing area under irrigated agriculture in the next five years. More focus
will be put in areas around L.Victoria, along R.Yala and R.Nzoia. Specifically in Augmentation and
expansion of all existing irrigation schemes and construction of 20 No. new irrigation schemes. The
said irrigaton schemes are:
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- Obenge,
- Nyangoe
- Kasiri
- Aram
- East Yimbo
- Central Sakwa
- North Sakwa
- North Alego
- South East Alego
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In the next five years the department intends to implement irrigation projects in the following
cluster areas;
Upper Nzoia
- Kokise
- Aram
- Ruma
- Kunya
- Got Kachola
- Misori
- Likungu
- Utonga
- Warianda
- Nyangera
The R.Nzoia lower basin is earmarked for a major irrigation project which on completion will
provide irrigation infrastructure to cover about 2000Ha. The project is being implemented in
partnership with the National Irrigation Board (NIB).
1.9.2. Irrigation Schemes
There are four major irrigation schemes: Dominion in Alego-Usonga, Anyiko irrigation
scheme in Ugenya, Naya and Aram irrigation schemes in Rarieda. The major products are
horticulture in Rarieda sub county and rice in alegousonga and ugenya sub counties. The
small scale irrigation schemes in the county include nyangera in west Yimbo, obenge,
nyangoe and kasiri irrigation schemes in east yimbo.
Irrigation infrastructures in the county are located in various schemes in the county. In the
past four years the County government implemented nine drip irrigation schemes in Rarieda,
Bondo and Alego – Usonga Sub Counties. However, the performance of the schemes has
been below expectation, thus the need to operationalise is priority in this plan. Focus shall
also be turned on the various schemes in the county that were implemented in the past and are
in dire need of rehabilitation to regain the designed potential.
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1.10. Crop, Livestock, Fish Production and Value Addition
1.10.1. Main Crops Produced
Crop production is a major contributor to food self-sufficiency and security in the county. In
addition, it contributes to poverty reduction through employment creation and value addition.
The main food crops are maize, sorghum, beans, cassava, and sweet potatoes. These are
produced across all the six sub-counties, albeit with different intensities (provide inform on
concentrations per sub-county if possible). Cash crops produced are mainly rice, sugarcane
and groundnuts. Over the years cotton production has declined because of marketing
problems.
Vegetables produced in the County include; tomatoes, onions, avocado and kales while fruits
are mangoes, pawpaw, bananas, oranges and watermelon. Some of the emerging crops in the
County include: irrigated rice, palm oil, chilli, passion fruits and grain amaranth.
1.10.2. Acreage under Food and Cash Crops
Siaya County produced 160,636 MT of maize from 93,000 Ha with a productivity of (1.7MT)
19 bags per Ha. The area under food crop production increased to 160,000 Ha in 2015 from
150,000 Ha in 2013 with a corresponding estimated increase in value to Kshs 9,065,392,727
in 2015 from Kshs 7,583,908,582 in 2013. The area under horticultural (vegetables and fruit
trees) production increased to 4,450 ha in 2015 from 3,930 ha in 2013 with an estimated
increase in value of produce to Ksh 2,225,225,000 in 2015 from Ksh 1,939,425,000 in 2013
(Directorate of Agriculture, 2016).
(Info on area under cash crop and fruits)
1.10.3. Average Farm Size
The average farm size for a small scale farmer is 1.5 ha and 7.0 ha for a large scale farmer.
Due to small farm holdings and the resulting limited benefits of economies of scale,
the practice of mechanized agriculture is heavily constrained
1.10.4. Main Storage Facilities
The main storage facilities in the County both on and off farm include; traditional cribs,
modern stores, traders’ stores at the market centres and the National Cereals and Produce
Board (NCPB) stores in Bondo town and Yala in Gem. In addition to the major cereal
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stores, the county government and NG-CDF have constructed additional cereal stores in
Ugunja, Gem and Alego Usonga sub counties. These facilities are inadequate and are not well
equipped to prevent high post-harvest losses(we need numbers and capacities).
1.10.5. Main Livestock Breeds and Facilities
Livestock production in the county consists of rearing beef cattle, dairy cattle, poultry, sheep,
goats, and pigs. Other animals like donkeys, rabbits, bees and emerging livestock (e.g. quails,
ostriches, crocodiles, silk worms) are also raised. It also entails forage production. Relatively,
all household in the rural areas keep livestock.
Livestock facilities in the county include cattle dips, auction rings, agro vet outlets, crush
pens, water sources, and abattoirs,
Dairy Cattle: Dairy cattle population is estimated at 6000 heads. They are mainly kept in
medium- to high-rainfall areas of Gem, Alego Usonga, Ugunja and Ugenya. The key dairy
breeds are Ayrshire, Friesian, Guernsey, Jersey and cross-breeds. The bulk of the milk is
produced by the zebu cattle, which has an estimated population of 340,000 heads. The dairy
goat population of about 5000 heads also contribute a significant amount of milk. In 2016,
milk production was estimated at 25 million litres valued at Ksh 375 million. The rising
population in the county puts pressure on milk production as demand outstrips supply leading
to heavy reliance on milk from other counties. .
Beef Cattle: The beef cattle population is estimated at 340,000 heads. The main beef species
are East African Zebu and cross-breeds. The average carcass weight is 80 kg which is way
below the national average of 120 Kg. Dairy cattle culls also contribute to the county beef
supply. On average, the county produces 3800 MT of beef worth Ksh 1.3 billion annually.
The supply of beef barely meets the county’s demand.
Sheep and Goats: Sheep and goats play a key role in culture and households’ income and
food security. They have short-generation intervals, high adaptability and versatile feeding
habits. The main goat breeds are the Small East African Goat and sheep breeds are the
indigenous hair sheep whose sizes are small and take a long time to mature. The county has
an estimated 270,000 goats and 150,000 sheep. Annual meat production is estimated at 540
MT of mutton and 250 MT of chevon worth Ksh 294 million.
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Poultry: The County has an estimated 1 million birds, consisting of 82% free-ranging birds,
15 per cent commercial layers and broilers. Other poultry species like duck, turkey, pigeon,
ostrich, guinea fowl and quail make up 3 per cent and are becoming increasingly important.
Annually, the county produces about 1900 MT of poultry meat worth Ksh 760 million and
716,000 trays of eggs worth KES 214 million. The county has a deficit of both poultry meat
and eggs which are supplemented by imports.
Pigs: Pig rearing in the county is not well-established or organized, starting from the rearing
to the marketing. Pigs are a source of household income and food security. Most are kept on
extensive system, where they are left to scavenge. Breeds include crosses of Landrace, Large
White, Hampshire and locals. In 2016 the county had a population of just 13,000 pigs which
produced an estimated 204 MT of pig meat worth Ksh 48 million.
Livestock Health: The veterinary services involve livestock disease and pest control,
veterinary public health, hide and skins improvement services and extension services and
regulatory services in artificial insemination, agro vets, clinical services and animal care.
Trans- boundary diseases is a major threat as most of the diseases enter the county from other
counties.
Major diseases encountered are tick born and east coast fever (ECF) which is the major
animal killer. Other diseases include rabies, foot and mouth, trypanosomiasis, lumpy skin
disease, new castle disease, fowl-pox and fowl typhoid.
To mitigate animal diseases, the county has a full-fledged veterinary department which works
hand in hand with private animal health practitioners. There are also agro vets which provide
over the counter drugs to farmers.
The sub sector faces many challenges such as poor genetic make-up which negatively affect
livestock productivity. Indiscriminate breeding has led to inbreeding and poor genetic make-
up. The supply of breeding stock is low. Animal feed is a major constraint due to high cost of
producing forage therefore most farmers rely on low quality natural pastures. Forage
conservation is minimal and the use of crop residue is quite low(can be taken to
challenges???).
There are about 10 feed millers whose production does not meet local demand (info on their
production capacity). There are very few producer organizations(name them) involved in
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marketing of livestock. Instead, livestock marketing is dominated by middlemen with no
standardization. On-farm and off-farm value addition and processing is low translating into
low incomes for farmers. Low funding and low staffing levels have hampered service
delivery resulting in poor performance of the livestock subsector. There are no livestock
policies or laws that are specific to the county and have relied on those formulated by the
national government (Material for challenges).
1.10.6. Fishing Activities
Fisheries activities are major sources of income, food, employment and foreign exchange
earnings in Kenya. Lake Victoria is the most important source of fish in East Africa and the
biggest source of freshwater fish on the African continent. The lake is also important in
conservation terms because of its great biodiversity of predominant fish species.
Fisheries in the County are two folds; capture fisheries from Lakes Victoria and Kanyaboli,
and culture fisheries (aquaculture). The Siaya Waters of Lake Victoria directly employed
12,140 as fishing crews operating 4,007 boats accounting for about 30% of the number of
crews and 28% of fishing boats operating on the Kenyan side of the lake (Frame Survey,
2016). The fishing crews and crafts operating in Lake Kanyaboli stood at 834 and 398
respectively over the same period. In total, there are 83 fish landing sites on Lake Victoria
and 4 on Lake Kanyaboli with the major ones being Usenge, Wichlum, Luanda Kotieno,
Osindo and Nambo(Associate them with the two lakes).
In 2016, the county produced about 28.3 thousand metric tons of fish from Lakes Victoria
and Kanyaboli valued at about 5.6 billion Kenya shillings based on ex-vessel prices The
catch was dominated by Rastrineobolaargentea (‘Omena’ – 38%) and nile perch (36%) with
Tilapia and catfish contributing 6% and 2% of the total fish landings by volume respectively.
Other species were also landed though in relatively smaller quantities. Fish catches from
lakes have shown a general downward trend, from 39 thousand metric tons in 2010 to about
28.3 thousand metric tons in the year 2016. This calls for more effort on ensuring sustainable
utilization of the fisheries resources in our lakes.
Over 80 per cent of ‘omena’ and nile perch fishes landed in the county is traded outside of the
county with Nile perch being the country's major fish export earner.
(some info on fish ponds)
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1.10.7. Apiculture
In addition to contributing directly to household incomes, bees play an important role in plant
pollination. In 2016 the county had 10,600 beehives producing 513 MT of honey and 13 MT
of beeswax, all valued at Ksh 183 million. Beekeeping is becoming increasingly popular due
to the low investment and variable costs involved. The potential for apiculture is huge and
underexploited(give county overiew in terms of sub-counties).
1.11. Oil and Other Mineral Resources
1.11.1 Mineral and Oil Potential
The county’s oil potential remains largely unexplored. However, with recent developments in
the national hydrocarbon industry, considerations are being made to carry out oil exploration
to determine the county’s oil potential. Recent discoveries of oil potential in the neighbouring
regions of Kakamega and Kisumu Counties raise hopes that Siaya County may also bear
some oil potential.
A study by Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) has shown that the whole of the lake
Victoria Basin region of which Siaya County is included, has some minerals, precious stones
and rare earth elements. The best known mineral in the County is gold. Other minerals
include fluorite which occurs as a thin vein near Rata within the larger Asembo; granite and
black sand from Yala valley which has weak radioactive quality.
1.11.2 On-going Mining and Extraction Activities
Historically the county has been host to mineral extraction activities particularly gold, since
colonial times albeit on subsistence scales. Artisanal mining of gold is still in practice in a
number of potential sites spread randomly within the county especially in Masamra and
Rambula areas of Ugunja Sub-County, Rera area in Gem Sub-County, Barding area of
Alego-Usonga Sub-County, Asembo Bay and Saradidi areas in Rarieda Sub-County,
Abimbo, Wagusu and Nango areas of Bondo Sub-County. Sand harvesting take place along
the beaches and river Nzoia.
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Further exploration of minerals in commercial quantities is equally being experimented
especially for Gold and Iron among other mineral types. Acacia Mining Company has been
carrying out gold exploration activities within the county.
The county aspires to work with the Mines and Geology department in the National
Government:
to map out the existing and potential mineral areas
to regularise the operations of the mining activities and
capacity-build the miners in terms of licencing and use of protective gears.
To facilitate the formation of co-operative societies
1.12 Tourism and Wildlife
1.12.1 Main Tourist Attractions and Activities
Tourism is of inestimable importance for the county. It bears on every aspect of our society,
our economic development, standard of living and our way of life. It creates jobs and brings
economic prosperity. However, tourism is at infancy in the county and attractions and
activities are just beginning to take shape. The County has one gazetted game reserve which
is Lake Kanyaboli Game Reserve. The settlement patterns within the county coupled with the
high population density is a major constraint to large-scale wildlife conservation.
To promote tourism, the county has invested on mapping of tours attraction facilities, culture
and heritage, hotels, linkages of the County with the western circuit and tours and travel
investments. Some of these investments include the Alego Nyang’omaKogelo Village, a
place of international attention because it is the birth place of Barack Obama Senior, the
father of the United States’ first black President, Barack Obama. The cultural sites in the
County include; Olua Sacred Trees, Holy Got Adodi, Bullock of Got Podhe, Rambugu hills,
Got Ramogi, JaramogiOgingaOdinga Mausoleum, Achieng’ Oneko Mausoleum, Mageta
Island, OderaAkang’o office and cells in Yala and several island lakes along River Yala
(Sare, Nyamboyo) . There exists 33 beaches and 5 habited islands in the County (Oyamo,
Mageta, Ndeda, Magare and Sihu).
1.12.2 Classified Hotels
The County currently does not have any classified hotel. However there are 89 unclassified
hotels with a gross bed capacity of 1,780. In addition, there are 619 bars and restaurants. The
fact that the 44th president of the United States of America has paternal roots in the County
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has given the County an overwhelming facelift within the tourism sector. However, low bed
capacity remains the major constraint to tourism resulting in visitors seeking accommodation
in the neighboring counties.
1.12.3 Main Wildlife
The varieties of wild life found in the County include hippopotamus (Lake Victoria, River
Yala), crocodiles (Yala Swamp, parts of the Lake Victoria), Sitatunga (Yala Swamp) and
monkeys and leopards. The County has several species of fish, but the most popular ones are
Nile perch, Rastrineobolaargentea (Locally known as Omena), Hatlochromines (locally
known as Fulu or Wiu) and Nile Tilapia. The first species have a very high commercial value
and is responsible for the economic break through which has been experienced along the
shore of Lake Victoria. Others are bushpig (mainly in Yala Swamp), Hyenas (Got Abiero,
Utonga), various species of snakes e.g. pythons, cobras and various species of birds(justify
fish and poultry as wildlife).
1.12.4 Number of Visitors
Number of visitor in the county cannot be determined as mechanisms to collect statistics is
still underway. It is expected that once this is done, the county will collect data on a monthly
basis on visitor arrivals in terms of origin, stay and places visited. .
1.13 Industry and Trade
1.13.1 Markets
There are 221 active market centres in the county distributed per sub-county s shown in table
1.7.
Sub-Coutt Number of markets % of total Alego-Usonga Bondo Gem Rarieda Ugenya Ugunja Total
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They generate revenue mainly from cess and single business permits. In addition, there are
other sources of miscellaneous sources of revenue in these markets which are tapped though
n a small scale.
To ensure smooth and robust trade in these markets, link roads have been done and electricity
installed in some of these markets. In addition, general market infrastructure have been
improved including installation of solar lights, construction of pit latrines, construction of
market sheds and drainage systems.
1.13.2 Industrial Parks
In Siaya there are no major industrial parks. There is a minor SME parkowned by the Kenya
Industrial Estates (KIE) that is operational. The County has been approached by the Export
Processing Zone to avail 100 acres of land to establish an industrial park. The creation of the
industrial park would be a big boost to the economy of the county through job creation and
industrial development.
1.13.3 Types and Number of Businesses
There are supermarkets, wholesale and retailoutlets, open air market businesses. Major
supermarket is found in Ugunja while in other towns, there are mini-supermarkets. These
vend items ranging from manufactured goods, agricultural products and services. (Table to
provide more info on this. Vide Economic Survey)
Devolution has brought in assorted consumption patterns which put pressure on the business
community to improve their business in terms of infrastructure and merchandise. The county
also must undertake urban planning and put in place enabling business environment to boost
them.
1.13.4 Major Industries
The county does not host large scale industries. Instead, there are micro, small and medium
scale industries (MSMEs) with low contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Most of
these industries participate in manufacturing, quarrying and mining and construction
activities. Manufacturing takes a larger proportion (66.67 per cent) of the industrial activities
mainly agro-based and characterized by relatively low value addition, employment, capacity
utilization and export volumes partly due to weak linkages to other sectors.
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The sector requires proper planning, major technological overhaul, large capital injection and
cultural re-orientation to enable it play its role in the county’s economic development. The
performance of the manufacturing sector has been affected by low capital injection, use of
obsolete technologies and high costs of doing business. The factors that have contributed to
the high cost of doing business include; the poor state of physical infrastructure, limited
access to finance, limited research and development, poor institutional framework, and
inadequate managerial, technical and entrepreneurial skills.1
In order to address the industrial sector, initiatives so far undertaken has been the sponsorship
of USAID which developed an Investment Profile Report and also the department has also
drafted an Industries report for the County. Several areas for investment and industrial
development have been highlighted in these reports of which need to be implemented. There
were several projects that were supported by the World Bank to uplift small industries in the
county and most of them are not operational hence need to be revived (Whole or partial to be
moved to Chap 2 &3)
1.13.5 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
Info missing
1.14 Financial Services
1.14.1 Number Of Banks, Micro Financial Institutions, Mobile Money Agents And
SACCO’s
Financial services are provided by both bank and non-bank institutions. These consist of
banks, microfinance institutions, cooperative societies and other non-financials such as
mobile money, posta’s money order, merry go round, table banking, chamas amongst others.
Financial institutions found in Siaya are: Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Cooperative Bank
of Kenya (Coop), Equity Bank, Kenya Women Finance Trust, and Postbank. These
institutions, whether bank or non-bank, mobilise funds from low spenders to high spenders
through different types of accounts owned by individuals and institutions.
There are some sub-counties like Rarieda and Ugenya which do not have formal banking
institution, and in such cases, other financial institutions play a key role in catalysing socio-
economic development of these sub-counties. Prior to devolution, cooperatives played a
lesser role in financial intermediation as few were active. However, this has since changed as
1Siaya County Industries Report, 2016
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at the close of 2016, there were 247 cooperative societies in the county out of which 168 were
active, making them key players in the financial market.
The Government has also financial Institutions like K.I.E and AFC that provide business
advisory and financial services. (Need meat)
1.14.2 Distribution/Coverage of Financial Services By Sub County
Sub-County Financial Institutions Alego-Usonga Cooperative Bank of Kenya
Kenya Commercial Bank Kenya Women Finance Trust PostBank Postal MoneyOrder Mobile money agents Roscas
Bondo Cooperative Bank of Kenya Kenya Commercual Bank Kenya Women Finance Trust PostBank Posta Money Order Mobile money agents Roscas
Gem Cooperative Bank of Kenya Posta Mobile money agents Rosca
Rarieda Mobile money agents PostaalMney Order Roscas
Ugenya Mobile money agents Posta Roscas
Ugunja Kenya Commercual Bank Kenya Women Finance Trust Posta Mobile money agents Roscas
1.15 Forestry, Agro Forestry and Value Addition
1.15.1 Main Forest Types and Size
Considering the two perspectives of forestry as tree and forest cover, Siaya County shares a
diversity of tree species. Agro-climatic zonation dictates the distribution of both exotic and
indigenous tree species within the county. According to data recorded in KNBS, 2009, the
county’s forest cover stands at 0.04% .This is attributed to the fact that the county has only
two gazetted forests namely, Got Ramogi and Got Abiero. Other potential forest sites exist
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but have not been gazetted, these include among others: Akara and Mbaga in alegoUsonga;
Usenge, Abong and Odiero in Bondo; Rambugu and Naya in Rarieda; Osir and Rawalo in
Gem and Got Odima in Ugenya.
Table 3: Some of the most common trees in the county and their uses
Botanical name Common name Uses Propagation Management Markhamialutea
Siala Boat building Timber Fuel wood Furniture Poles Charcoal Medicine(leaves) Soil conservation
Seed Wildlings
Fast growing; Coppicing
Albisiacorarria Ober Boat building Bee forage Fuel wood Furniture Timber Charcoal Medicine Vet medicine (roots)
Seedlings Wildlings
Slow growing Lopping Pollarding Pruning
Ficussycomora Ng’owo Boat building Bee forage Fuel wood Furniture Timber Fodder Beehives carving
Wildlings Seedlings Cuttings
Lopping Pollarding
Melicia excels Olwa
Boat building Timber Fuel wood Furniture Tool handles Charcoal Medicine(bark) Soil conservation
Wildlings Seedlings Root sucker
Fast growing Pruning Coppicing Regeneration
Eucalyptus camaldulensis
Kaladari
Windbreak Timber Furniture Mulching Pulp wood Post Fuel wood
Seedlings
Fast growing Coppicing Pollarding
Grivellearobusta Bole
Windbreak Timber Furniture Mulching Veneer Ornamental
Seedlings Wildlings
Moderate growing Pollarding Lopping Pruning
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Jacaranda mimosifolia Jacaranda Carving Avenue tree Bee forage Shade Ornamental Windbreak
Seeds
Fast growing Lopping Pollarding Coppicing Pruning
Mangiferaindica Maembe
Boat building Bee forage Fuel wood Shade Fodder Food(drinks) Carving
Seedlings Grafting Rootstock
Fast growing Lopping
Cassuarinaequisetifolia Cassuarina
Poles Nitrogen-fixing Ornamental Mulching Reclamation of degraded lands
Seedlings Wildlings Rootsuckers
Fast growing Pruning Coppicing when they are young
Cuppressuslustanica Cypress/Obudo Firewood Timber Pulpwood Poles Post Live fence Ornamental Toothbrush Brooms Windbreaks
Seedling
Pruning Thinning
Pinuspatula Pinus
Resin Timber Ornamental Pulpwood Shade firewood
Seedlings Fast growing Pruning Thinning
Source: Maundu and Tengnas, (2007): dominants and valuable indeginous tree species.
1.15.2 Main Forest Products
The main forest products are timber, firewood, and charcoal. Due to limited forest cover (
used in the County, are mainly from neighboring counties such as Nandi hills, Kisii,
Kakamega and Kericho and at times from Uganda. The County also obtains forests products
from County government forest and private individual farms although it does not meet the
local demand making the County a net importer.
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1.15.3 Agro Forestry
Agroforestry is commonly used to refer to practices where farmers deliberately retain and
integrate trees with annual crop cultivation and livestock production among other farm
activities as a form of land management technique. This practice has been widely promoted
as an ecological based and sustainable practice involving a mix of both agriculture and
forestry. Agroforestry gives the ecological and agricultural systems greater protection and the
ability to deal with change and continue to develop. Agroforestry increases biodiversity,
brings more humidity to the soil, reduces soil erosion and increases soil fertility. It enables
diversified food production and helps to save natural forests that play an important role for a
sustainable development
Challenges posed by food insecurity and ecological degradation, high population pressure,
land encroachment along the Lake Victoria, forested and hilly landscapes have been
experienced in Siaya county. Agroforestry is part of solution to these, it has both ecological
and economic benefits i.e it contributes to sustainable agriculture, complements food and
nutritional security in diverse ways through provision of tree foods such as fruits and leafy
vegetables, improve farmers’ incomes through the sale of tree foods and tree products,
provision of fuel for cooking, use of fodder tree species such as Calliandra for improved milk
production, promotes environmental sustainability, reduces impacts of climate change and
promotes biodiversity among other benefits. Agroforestry and sustainable agricultural
methods help to mitigate climate change by sequestering and storing carbon in the trees and
in the soil.
Siaya County is characterized by subsistence food crop system where main crops grown are
maize, beans; bananas, cassava, sorghum, sweet potatoes and millet among other subsistence
crops are grown. Majority of farmers also keep some local livestock breeds. Under this crop
system, agroforestry technologies to improve soil fertility would be important. These include
promotion of fertilizer trees/shrubs and improved fallows for enhanced soil nutrients.
Woodlots have a role to play in wood production and fodder trees are needed as a supplement
for animal feed. More fruit trees of improved varieties could also be grown, both for domestic
consumption and for sale. Other technologies depending on farmers’ preferences and end use
will include; boundary planting, trees on soil and water conservation structures, along stream
and rivers, trees on degrades lands such as gullies, live fences and hedges and trees along
roads and in schools. Suitable species are Leucaenaleucocephala, Calliandracalothyrsus,
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Sesbaniasesban, Grevillearobusta, Casuarinaequisetifolia. Markhamialutea, Albizia spp.,
Cajanuscajan, Morus alba, Psidiumguajava, Syzygium spp., Maesopsiseminii and fruit trees
such as pawpaw, grafted mango, avocados, loquats, passion fruit and citrus among others.
The county will improve on the existing agroforestry systems by supporting more profitable
agroforestry enterprises and increase the capacity of farmers to sustainably produce, process
and market agroforestry products through promotion of specific agroforestry value chains,
while maintaining biodiversity. Involvement of youths and women in establishing and
managing commercial tree nurseries for sustainability of agroforestry interventions in the
county will be enhanced. Promotion of agroforestry in the county will require a multi-sector
approach for its success based on its integral role in agriculture, livestock and environmental
conservation and climate change.
1.15.4 Value Chain Development and Forestry Products
The forestry and agroforestry products mentioned above are usually processed for value
addition for attainment of greater economic benefits. Siaya County produces both hard and
soft woods. The hard woods represented by Markhamialutea (siala), Ficus (Ng’owo), and
Albiziaspp (Ober) are felled and worked for timber plates production. The resultant plates of
different sizes are then sold for construction purposes and manufacture of carpentry products
that include household furniture and wooden kitchenware.
The soft woods on the other hand are locally represented by species of Grevillea,
Eucalyptus,Cypress,Pine,Cassuarina,etc. They are to some extent also used as trusses for roof
construction, production of timber poles for fencing and production of timber plates for other
uses including preparation of coffins. Softwoods have also been discovered for their
usefulness in biotechnology whereby certain seed species e.g. Grandis and Camaldulensis can
be hybridized to produce Eucalyptus which is a much superior species of the former two.
Another useful forestry species gaining currency quite fast in this region is the Bamboo. It is
commonly planted along streams and river channels. Other than the medicinal value extracted
from its leaves, mature bamboo stems once harvested can be processed to produce furniture
as well as wooden floor tiles.
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Example of Bamboo used to make furniture.The species used above is Arundinaria alpine
1.16 Environment And Climate Change
1.16.1 Major Degraded Areas
Land degradation and ecosystem destruction continue to be a major concern in the county.
This is manifested in the silted water bodies such as water pans and rivers. In addition waste
management remains a major challenge in most of our urban centres and is compounded by
the increasing populations in such areas. Of late, the high need for road-surfacing material
and other construction materials exacerbate land degradation incidences. These exist at
localized scales in form of quarry mines, sand mines, eroded lands, bare soils and gravel
extraction sites randomly spread in the county. The major areas the county affected by land
degradation include;
Wichlum&Kamariga sand mining beaches in Bondo Sub-County
Barding gold mining areas in Alego-Usonga Sub-County
Eroded gulleys of Homba Stream in Gem Sub-County
Got Aduwa gravel site in Alego-Usonga Sub-County
Misori Quarry sites in Rarieda Sub-County
Sumba sand mining in Alego-Usonga Sub-County
Urangamurram extraction sites in Alego-Usonga Sub-County
Bar-Ober and Jera area Brick-making sites in Ugenya Sub-County
1.16.2 Major Contribution to Environmental Degradation
Environmental degradation is the deterioration of environment through consumption of assets
such as water, air and soil; destruction of environment and eradication of wildlife. Siaya
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County has areas experiencing environmental degradation and there is need by the
government to put interventions to reduce or counter its effect. Some of the factors that
contributes to environmental degradation include;
Land disturbance/damage
A rapture in the environmental surrounding provides chance for invasive weedy and parasitic
species such as water hyacinth in Lake Victoria and the popular dodder parasitic plant. This
plants can assume control over nature resulting in predominant plants which does not give
satisfactory food asset to environmental life an
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