The Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) is a corporate legal entity that was established in 1979 under Cap. 441 of the Laws of Kenya. The Authority is mandated to undertake River Basin Conservation and Management through Integrated River Basin Based Development Programs with the key objective of propelling development to improve the region’s per capita income.

The Authority’s area of operation includes the counties of Eleyo Marakwet, Turkana,West pokot, Baringo, Samburu and parts of Nakuru. Most of these counties are Arid and Semi arid areas which exhibits favourable climatical conditions for mango production and Elgeyo Marakwet is the leading county in mango production within the region .

Mango production has been promoted as a national cash crop under vision 2030 with KVDA being the lead government agency. It is one of the Authority’s flagship project that will not only increase mango production but will also increase tree cover and contribute to environmental conservation particularly conservation of Cherangany watershed.

The objective of KVDA is to raise and plant 8.5m mango seedlings in the Kerio valley region in the next five years. This will generate good income to the communities especially now that the Authority has established a mango factory at Tot to process puree and juice for value addition

OBJECTIVES

• Contribute to food security within the region
• Economic transformation of the region
• Promote peaceful coexistence between the local communities
• Job creation
• Promotion of mango value addition
• Production and distribution of certified mango seedlings in order to improve the
  quality of mangoes produced.
• Technology transfer in agriculture
• Promotion of conservation through greening program

Achievements

• Production of 1.5m certified grafted mango seedlings within KVDA nurseries in
  the last 5yrs
• Training of local farmers on technology transfer in mango grafting
• Establishment of a mango processing factory
• Establishment of a mango orchard at Weiwei for the production of certified
  mango scions for grafting.
• Promotion of research in partnerships with the relevant stakeholders such
  KALRO.
• Supported promotion of mango production in counties such as Laikipia,
  Kericho,Bomet, Bongoma, Narok and within the KVDA area of jurisdiction
• Currently, KVDA has over 300,000 mango seedlings in its nurseries.

Mango seedlings distribution.

During this financial year the Authority plans to distribute 9,500 mango seedlings in West Pokot (Lomut/Ptokou), Baringo (Kalabata),Turkana and Eleyo Marakwet.