Overview

Kenya has been a member of the World Bank since 1964. Since then, World Bank assistance has focused on stimulating economic growth and reducing poverty. Creating an improved environment for investment and growth in agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, and in small- and medium-size enterprises is important.  Financial sector reform will also be critical to stimulate growth and reduce poverty. Projects approved recently include:  

• The Kenya Agricultural Productivity and Agribusiness Project. The US$82 million credit approved by the Board in June 2009 will consolidate and scale up the gains achieved in research, extension and small scale farmer empowerment during the implementation of the Kenya Agricultural Productivity Project that closed in December 2008. It will also enable farmers to strengthen agribusiness development. The project is linked to the East Africa Agricultural Productivity Program and the Kenya Agricultural Productivity and Sustainable Land Management Project.
• The Kenya Northern Corridor Transport Improvement Project Additional Financing. The additional US$253 million financing to complete remaining contracts on the Northern Corridor including the Mau Summit – Kisumu Road section. It will also finance rehabilitation and replacement of infrastructure and public assets damaged during the 2008 post-election crisis.
• The Kenya - Energy Sector Recovery Project Additional Financing. The US$80 million additional financing will improve electricity distribution and implement electrification programs to support economic growth and reduce regional disparities. Currently, only 18 percent of Kenyans have electricity in their homes, with only three percent of families having electricity in the rural areas.  The additional financing will also support efforts to reduce the cost of doing business by reducing power outages, which are a major constraint to private sector growth and job creation.
• The Kenya Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children. The US$50 million project will scale up social protection for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) will increase social safety net access for extremely poor OVC households through an effective and efficient expansion of the existing CT-OVC Program.

For more information, refer to All Projects.