The Coast Development Authority (CDA) is reshaping its socio-economic activities to align with the national government's Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). The regional authority is investing in grassroots economic developments and enhancing transformative agricultural activities in the coastal counties of Kwale, Kilifi, Lamu, Taita Taveta, and Tana River.
CDA Managing Director Dr. Mohamed Keinan stated that the coastal development projects are being synchronized with the government's five-point BETA plan. The plan focuses on Agricultural Transformation and Inclusive Growth; Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs); Housing and Settlement; Healthcare; and Digital Superhighway and the Creative Industry.
Dr. Keinan emphasized that CDA is ramping up its efforts to promote irrigation agriculture to ensure year-round farming. The authority has initiated several irrigation projects aimed at lifting smallholder farmers out of poverty in areas with ample water resources for irrigation-based agricultural intensification.
Additionally, CDA is rehabilitating areas surrounding the Sh 20 billion Mwache Multipurpose Dam project, which aims to address persistent water shortages in the coastal region. It is also involved in projects such as the Lake Challa Smallholder Irrigation Scheme in Taita Taveta County, the Chakama Smallholder Irrigation Project in Kilifi County, and several Drought Mitigation Projects.
Source: kenyanews.go.ke