Kenya Horticulture Programme Boosts Global Market Access, Climate Resilience

The Committee Linking Entrepreneurship-Agriculture-Development (COLEAD) has concluded its stakeholder workshop in Nairobi to sustain progress in global market compliance, climate resilience, and economic sustainability.

Launched in April 2020 with EUR 5 million funding from the European Union under the 11th European Development Fund, the NExT Kenya Programme aims to strengthen Kenya’s horticultural exports by improving value chains, employment, and food security.

It has provided technical assistance, vocational training, regulatory monitoring, market insights, and financial access to SMEs, government institutions, and trade associations.

“NExT Kenya has strengthened horticultural value chains by improving market access, raising food safety and quality standards, and boosting sustainability,” said Jeremy Knops, COLEAD’s General Manager.

“This was achieved despite challenges like COVID-19, Brexit, the war in Ukraine, climate change, and evolving regulations.”

Over five years, the programme has helped Kenya’s horticulture sector meet stringent sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards, particularly for EU exports. More than 182 beneficiaries, including SMEs and trade associations, have enhanced food safety, business practices, and environmental stewardship.

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Key achievements include industry-specific Good Practice Guides (GPGs) for avocado, beans, and peas, along with a Training of Trainers (ToT) initiative to support implementation. The programme also restructured the National Horticulture Taskforce into the National Horticulture Standing Committee (NHSC), identifying 122 trade bottlenecks, with 47 prioritized in a horticulture master plan.

A major focus was climate resilience, promoting digital sensors, solar-powered irrigation, and carbon footprint management. Industry stakeholders also received energy management training.

“With NExT Kenya’s successes, we must remain vigilant to horticulture’s challenges. The NHSC, a government-private sector initiative, will ensure these issues are addressed,” said Agriculture Principal Secretary Kipronoh Ronoh.

The workshop featured testimonials from programme beneficiaries, highlighting advancements such as risk profile registers, internal audit mechanisms, and solutions to trade bottlenecks.