Vision
A transformed community livelihood through entrepreneurship and sustainable tourism management.

Mission
To develop policies and programs geared towards building community capacity in fostering socio economic development through business ventures and tourism management. “

Performance Overview and Background for Programme(s) Funding
Achievements for the department for the period 2016/17 – 2017/2018 FY are summarized as follows:-
Under the tourism sector the following have been realized:-
Support of operations and development projects for community conservancies to enhance protection of the environment as well as foster security initiatives. At the same time, county’s natural resource endowment profiling and documentation was carried out to enable a detailed website aiming to market and promote tourism with key focus to untapped markets.
In order to enhance security of wildlife in the conservation areas, the tourism sector embarked on construction of rangers fortified camps in all insecurity prone areas especially along the western belt of
the county. The department has so far constructed six fortified camps complete with water storage tanks, protective hide outs and toilets.
On improvement of staff welfare in Samburu national reserve, the sector of Tourism has renovated rangers’ quarters in Westgate-Samburu national reserve and completion of Headquarter block for Samburu national reserve at Archers gate. On capacity building and training, the department trained thirty rangers on basic paramilitary skills at Kenya wildlife Service training school -Manyani
Other realizations include; Review of lease agreements for lodges has been initiated to boost tourism revenue. The department has also supported the construction of Cafeteria and Staff units at Malaso campsite and construction of ranger’s quarters at Maralal sanctuary, and in collaboration with other
conservation partners; the department has also supported the construction of a community Eco lodge
at Nkoteiya conservancy projects in among other development.
In the next period the sector would embark on improvement of staff welfare in Samburu national reserve, completion of development project in community conservancies and development of income generating initiatives for community conservancies. More so, the sector will also budget for operations within Samburu National reserve as a standalone program so as increase revenue to the county.

Under the co-operatives Sector the following have been achieved:-
The department pursued diversification of cooperative ventures by forming new cooperatives; one in each sub county for livestock marketing, bead work and processing of honey and value addition.
Members and officials of co-operatives such as bead work and beekeepers were taken for benchmarking and exposure visits in other counties.
Several co-operative societies were also revived during the year under review. Cooperatives were supported through advisory, extension services, capacity building, and installation of posho mills for selected women groups.
The co-operative sector would like to strengthen more co-operative societies in the next period and introduce a revolving fund for societies.
Through the department of trade, here under is a recap of the achievements: –
Follow-up for Samburu County Youth and women fund groups was done and defaulted loans amounting to five million were recovered. The Fund has also disbursed loans amounting to six million shillings to some new groups after conducting a two –day training for the members. The department has also allocated market stalls to traders in Wamba, Archers Post and Maralal markets.
Consumer protection from unfair trade practices through sensitization, inspection and verification of weighing and measuring equipment was also realized. The routine exercise was done in all trading centers within the county.
In the coming financial year the sector would like to map out investment opportunities within the county
and organize investment fora and exhibitions within the county. The sector will also construct new market stalls in three centre’s and refurbish three others .The newly constructed market stalls in Wamba, Archers and Maralal will be connected with electricity and sewerage system.
Despite the above achievements, the department was faced with the following challenges:-
 Untimely release of development funds
 Need for more conservancies yet resources are limited.
 Inadequate knowledge by the locals on the newly established conservancies and the need to be self-reliant.
 Limited resources to support co-operatives and naivety due to past experiences as regards to loans.
 The groups ventured in risk businesses which led loan default.
 Lack of office space for Weight and Measures officers and a reliable vehicle for the department of Trade.