The Government is set to unveil a major industrialisation programme to help alleviate poverty and spur economic development in rural areas.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga Sunday said that the programme would be implemented on a regional basis, depending on the resources available in the various parts of the country.

Nyanza Province, where he was speaking, will benefit from the industrialisation of the fisheries sector and search for valuable minerals.

Currently, several overseas companies are prospecting for gold and oil in Western and Nyanza provinces.

"We are going to establish industries to improve the living standards and create employment opportunities for the youth," Mr Odinga said.

Fortunes

He continued: "We still maintain our promise of fighting disease, ignorance, poverty and bad governance.

The Prime Minister said the country would be holding consultations with Tanzania and Uganda to improve the fortunes of the fishermen in Lake Victoria.

He also announced that the construction of some of the major roads leading to the fish landing sites would begin next month to ease the transportation of fish to the market.

The PM said the Government was also working to make affordable fertiliser available and urged farmers to use improved farming methods in order to ward off food shortages.

Water supply and sugar cane farming are the other sectors due for reforms.

By Patrick Mayoyo, Dan Otieno Cosmas Butunyi and Walter Menya