DRIVING BETA FROM POLICY TO PROJECTS – MERU, EMBU & KITUI
The Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority‘s Tana Region Office recently participated in the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) engagements across Meru, Embu and Kitui counties, working closely with the Office of the President, the Office of the Deputy President, and National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs).Also present during the meetings was TARDA’s Alternate Director to the Principal Secretary, State Department for Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Mrs. Dionisia M’eruaki.
In Meru, the County Commissioner Mr. Jacob Ouma, alongside the BETA Secretariat and NGAO leadership, led an inspection tour of key Government initiatives including completed Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) projects in South Imenti and the County Aggregation and Industrial Park (CAIP) in Buuri near Isiolo International Airport. The CAIP — with fully developed cold storage and supporting infrastructure — is now ready for commissioning and represents a strong anchor for agricultural value addition in the region.
During the BETA sensitization forums, the TARDA Tana Region Office presented priority projects identified in collaboration with communities and CBOs. These include irrigation schemes such as the Iraru–Mweru project, community water initiatives, food security interventions for both human and livestock needs, tree nursery development, agricultural value addition, and apiculture. These initiatives align directly with BETA’s core pillars of productivity, aggregation, and grassroots economic empowerment.
The BETA Secretariat confirmed the inclusion of TARDA in ongoing sensitization programmes, following mandatory training undertaken by regional officers alongside Deputy County Commissioners. This creates a structured pathway for coordinated rollout of Government Programmes at the grassroots level, including chiefs, assistant chiefs, and local development leaders.
Encouragingly, projects presented during the engagements received positive consideration, with commitments to escalate qualifying proposals for funding and implementation under the BETA framework. The engagements reinforced one clear message: transformation happens when national policy converges with locally grounded, implementation-ready projects. TARDA remains focused on aligning basin-based development interventions with national priorities to accelerate food security, water access, and value chain development across its Region.
