Gums and Resins factory in Northern Kenya.
The Ewaso Ng’iro North Development Authority has established a state-of-the-art gums and resins processing factory in Wajir County to harness non-wood forest products (NWFPs) in the Northern Region. The Authority has organized 25 supplier groups across the river basin to supply raw resins to the factory for payment, creating an additional source of livelihood and income diversity beyond the predominant pastoralist activities in the region. In total, 18 tons of resin were supplied to the factory this past year, creating 300 direct and 1,500 indirect jobs for local community members. This value-added processing of native natural resources not only boosts rural incomes, but also incentivizes the sustainable management of arid-land forests. The impacts are manifold – from empowering marginalized groups to catalyzing a nascent NWFP-based bioeconomy in the area. As this initiative scales up, the Authority intends to expand participation to more community suppliers and use the world-class facility as a launchpad for further industrial growth in the region.