The fresh produce industry in Kenya is presently the most rewarding if not promising of the country’s agricultural endeavors. Blessed with favorable climate conditions and fertile land that can sustainably produce crops, Kenya is undoubtedly one of the major producers in the continent with promise to top the continent. While Kenya continues to stamp her presence in the global fresh produce market, there is reason to believe that our domestic market has not been fully tapped. In this blog post, we will unravel the domestic market and highlight areas where fresh produce players can leverage for optimum engagement with the domestic market while ensuring food security.
Understanding Kenya’s Agricultural Landscape
Statistics show that 60.9% of households in Kenya practice mixed farming that mainly consists of cereals and animal rearing. This translates to approximately 6 million tonnes of food crop produced annually and 4.2 million of horticultural crops. The rich volcanic soil in the Mt. Kenya region (Kirinyaga, Muranga, Kiambu and Nyeri), Rift valley (Nakuru, Naivasha, Baringo), Eastern (Machakos, Meru) and Nyanza (Kisii) has allowed for year round production of fruits, herbs, flowers and vegetables has ensured the county produces fresh produce all year round.
Tapping into the Domestic Market.
While a lot of focus has been put on penetrating new markets abroad and expanding those already won, there is a crisis locally where issues of food insecurity and nutrition balance remain of great concern. Cost dynamics, the fast life, dietary preferences and the logistical challenges of managing fresh produce all contribute to the low intake of fresh produce in the country despite them being readily available. To manage this, stakeholders can employ these strategies:
Value Addition.
A lot of fresh produce go to waste because of the challenges around their handling and logistics. Industry players can tap into this by introducing value addition that will ensure products attain longer shelf lives even as they maintain their distinct taste and nutritional value. Value addition will not only help with tackling food loss and waste but also offer opportunities for entrepreneurs for business.
Consumer Awareness
We need to speak more on fresh produce and why they are important in contributing to overall wellness of the population. Constant campaigns by stakeholders especially the government to the masses will help consumers embrace fresh produce and encourage a change in dietary choices for the nutritional value they present.
Market Linkages
The fresh produce supply chain needs to be as elaborate as is efficient if we are to improve domestic consumption of the same. Stakeholders need to ensure produce are readily available to the consumers by providing intelligence that will connect farmers to local markets, establish market networks and connections to agro processors to streamline supplies.
Good Agricultural Practices
Consumers are more inclined to embrace fresh produce when the quality of the produce in the market is assured. By adopting good practices in planting, nurturing, harvesting and even transportation of products and enabling traceability, consumers will feel safe about embracing fresh produce. Continuous training and capacity building of all actors in the fresh produce industry is key for preserving the integrity or this trade.
Infrastructural Development
The nature of fresh produce requires specified conditions in handling and management to assure products reach the consumer in their best state. There is need therefore for investment in our road networks, cool storage and functional accessible markets that will allow for better trading experience for consumers.
Conclusion
Kenya’s domestic market is rich with potential for fresh produce. By embracing an investing in consumer education, value addition, market linkage and good agricultural practices, we are sure to experience an increase in consumption locally that will translate to better health for the population and increase revenue for industry players especially our farmers and also a drastic drop in the crisis that is food loss and waste.