Kenyan farmers have accumulated the highest number of good practice certificates for their farm products in Africa, to a European Union standards body has said.
Such certifications indicate that the country’s products meet the minimum requirements for food safety and hygiene, making it easy to export to the European Union and other regions.
Although there are many certification bodies, the German-based Global GAP said Kenyans have received the most of its certifications in Africa.
Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi said Global Gap is one of the most sought-after standards in the international markets.
“Kenya takes pride in having the most certifications on Global Gap in Africa. The certification scheme provides an opportunity for Kenyan farmers and exporters to meet the high standards required for the global market,” he said in a speech read by Livestock PS Harry Kimtai.
“Our research institutions that include the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Karlo) continue to generate practical affordable solutions on good agricultural practices,” he added.
He spoke at the end of a weeklong conference organised by Kenyan farming consultants Rootooba and Global Gap, in Nairobi on Thursday.
Linturi said the importance of production standards that are required by global buyers emphasise on food safety and social accountability.
He said the standards are driven by regulatory changes in the export markets and the need to manage reputational risk at a time of increasing consumer awareness and concern.
These trends require Kenyan farmers, exporters and public sector institutions to be increasingly flexible and dynamic in responding to a highly diverse market, he said.
They must address sanitary and phytosanitary challenges cost-effectively and raise quality standards, among other adaptations, he said.
Chairman of the Senate Trade, Industry and Tourism Committee, Senki Lenku Ole Kenar, promised to ensure all bills aligned to food safety become law.
Global Gap, however, still lists Kenya among the world’s riskiest countries for farm workers. The high-risk countries are mostly in Africa, South America, Asia and eastern Europe.
The organisation’s managing director Dr Kristian Moller said, still, Kenya is a role model of good agricultural practices and certification in Africa.
“The free trade agreement by the African Union is now the opportunity for other countries to learn from Kenya and that is why we are here," he said.
"Our message is that we all need to lift food safety even higher because we want to eradicate health issues like malnutrition because of food, that is our obligation and farmers need that support,” he said.
The conference brought together industry leaders including development partners led by Usaid.
This was the second edition of the conference, the first one was held in 2019.
