Nyando District

Nyando District is a district in the Nyanza Province in Kenya. The district capital is Awasi. The Nyando District is divided into five divisions: Lower Nyakach, Miwani, Muhoroni, Nyando and Upper Nyakach. Until 1998, the area belonged to the Kisumu District. The capital Awasi located 30 kilometers east of Kisumu. 2005, there were 61 % of the population below the poverty line.

Geography

The district lies at an altitude 1100-1800 meters above sea level and is divided topographically into three land formations: the Nandi Hills, Kano Plains ( plains) and the Nyabondo plateau. Nyando has only one forest, 3.2 km ² Koguta Forest. For district in the southwest part of a 11 km long coastline on Lake Victoria. From the soil and the climatic conditions fro the Nyando District for the cultivation of sugar cane, cotton and rice is suitable, also there are good conditions for dairy farms. In the district there are two large rivers, the Nyando and Sondu Miriu. The Nyando flows from the Nandi Hills Lake Victoria. On Sondu Miriu was established in October 2007, the Sondu Miriu Hydro Electric Power Project, a hydroelectric power plant with 60 megawatts, was completed. The costs amounted to 33 million U.S. dollars.

Infrastructure

The road network in Nyando District is poorly developed, over 70 % of the roads are unpaved dirt roads. 90% of households meet their daily energy needs with wood and coal, electricity is only available in a few centers. The Nyando District has only one financial institution.

Economy

60% of the population is employed in agriculture. Mainly maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, sorghum, sugar cane, rice, cotton and coffee beans are grown. Animal husbandry focuses on zebu, but there are also caprine, sheep and poultry breeding. The emphasis in the industrial sector is on the sugar factories and some rice mills. Lake Victoria and on the rivers Nyando and Sondu Miriu fishing is done. The unemployment rate was 11 % in 1999.

Health service

In 2003 there were in Nyando District 36 health care facilities. The infant mortality rate is high, 21.2 % of the children died in 1999 before their 5th birthday. In order for the Nyando District has the second highest infant mortality rate in Kenya. The average life expectancy is 49 years.

Archaeological finds

In the vicinity of Fort Ternan Louis Leakey discovered in 1961 fossils of Kenyapithecus wickeri, a kind of human -like from the Miocene. In addition, Leakey found there bones of an animal species of mice -like, named later by René Lavocat and Leakeymys.