Nairobi — The Committee Linking Entrepreneurship-Agriculture-Development (COLEAD) has intensified its efforts to enhance Kenya's horticultural exports through a stakeholder workshop in Nairobi, focusing on global market compliance, climate resilience, and economic sustainability.
The NExT Kenya Programme, launched in April 2020 with EUR 5 million funding from the European Union under the 11th European Development Fund, has provided technical assistance, vocational training, regulatory monitoring, market insights, and financial access to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), government institutions, and trade associations.
"NExT Kenya has strengthened horticultural value chains by improving market access, raising food safety and quality standards, and promoting sustainability," said Jeremy Knops, General Manager of COLEAD.
Over the past five years, the programme has helped Kenya's horticultural sector meet stringent sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards in key export markets like the European Union.
It has supported 182 beneficiaries in improving food safety, business practices, environmental management, and social empowerment.
Key achievements include developing Good Practice Guides (GPGs) for avocado, beans, and peas, restructuring the National Horticulture Taskforce into the National Horticulture Standing Committee (NHSC), and identifying 122 industry bottlenecks--47 of which are now being addressed in a horticulture master plan.
The programme has also promoted climate resilience through digital sensors, solar-powered irrigation, carbon footprint management, and energy efficiency training.
Principal Secretary for Agriculture Kipronoh Ronoh emphasized the need to sustain these efforts.
"With NExT Kenya's successes, we must remain vigilant in addressing challenges in the horticulture sector. The National Horticulture Standing Committee will ensure these issues are tackled," he said.
The workshop featured testimonials from producers and industry stakeholders who highlighted advancements in risk profiling, internal audits, and competitiveness strategies, reinforcing Kenya's position in the global horticultural market.
