The main types of industries found in Kenya include:
Primary or processing industries
Are also known as extractive industries
Are involved in the first stage of changing raw materials from one form to another that is more useful
Produce goods used to make final products
Provide raw materials for secondary industries
Examples of primary industries in Kenya include
- Mining of limestone at Bamburi and Athi River.
- Fishing in Lake Victoria and Indian Ocean.
- Extraction of forest products from various forests/lumbering.
- Growing of agricultural crops e.g. sisal, cotton, sugar cane, tea, maize, tobacco,pyrethrum, fruits, vegetables.
- Keeping of animals for milk, beef, skins
Secondary or manufacturing industries
Use raw materials derived from the primary industries
Change the raw materials into semi-processed or finished products
Examples of secondary or manufacturing industries in Kenya include
- Coffee factories
- Cotton ginneries
- Steel rolling mills
- Food processing,
- Cigarette making,
- Glass making,
- Oil refineries,
- Textiles,
- Pharmaceuticals,
- Paper and pulp
- Fertilizer making,
- Cement making.
- Insecticide making
Secondary industries are further classified into heavy and light industry
heavy industries
Heavy industries manufacture heavy and bulky products
Involve heavy capital investment
Their production is a large scale
Examples include, ship building, car manufacturing and assembly, iron and steel rolling mills, paper and pulp among others
light industries
Light industries manufacture/process finished products that are less bulky/heavy
Use light raw materials e.g. textile, cosmetics, toiletries, food processing, printing, electronics
Involves fixing together of different products made in different industries to make valuable articles/items
Use imported raw materials to make articles that are not locally manufactured
In Kenya, they assemble motor vehicles, electronics, bicycles
Majorly located in urban areas
(c) Service or tertiary industries
Distribute commodities that have been produced in primary and secondary industries to consumers
Render supply services to finished products
Found in both rural and urban areas
Require little capital and space
Require specialised skills/skilled labour
Include medical, education, finance, trade, communication, banking, insurance, transport etc
(d) Cottage Industries
Involves making products using hands and simple tools especially in the homes
Items are made using locally available materials
Done on a small scale
Examples include pottery, wood carving, soapstone carving, weaving of baskets/mats, boat making, and scrap metal fabrication
In Kenya, Jua Kali is the most common and popular cottage industry Jua Kali industries
Relies on locally available materials and tools
Requires little capital
Products target local market
Are found in almost all urban centres
Main activity involves reprocessing of old materials to produce useful items
