London-based energy company Tullow Oil has reached a deal with the Kenyan government to allow the resumption of oil exports from the north of the country.

Work at the oil fields in Turkana has been suspended for a month following disruption caused by protests by the local community.

Kenya's fledgling energy industry took an important step in June when oil was exported for the first time, as Tullow Oil developed the reserves in the Turkana region.

The oil has to be transported by truck because it will be at least four years before a pipeline is built.

The scheme to use trucks aims to transport 2,000 barrels a day, but it was disrupted by protests from activists who want the regional authority to get a bigger share of the revenues, fearing the local economy will miss out if the government in Nairobi has tight control over the money.

The government has agreed to set up a mechanism that gives local communities and Tullow Oil a forum to resolve issues.

The company and its partners Total and Africa Oil are targeting production in Kenya of at least 100,000 barrels of oil a day by 2022.

It's reported some of the protests were aimed at getting the deployment of more security forces to a region, which has long been plagued by banditry and cattle rustling.