The document summarizes key lessons and experiences from SNV Ethiopia's horticulture study tour to Kenya from January 16-20, 2017. The delegation visited various stakeholders including government regulatory bodies, farms, companies and cooperatives. Key lessons for Ethiopia included the importance of a market-led approach, strong public-private partnerships, efficient regulatory frameworks, and technology use in supply chains. Stakeholders shared experiences in areas like production, export, research, and training to promote sector growth and regional trade. The delegates found value in learning best practices from Kenya's experience in horticultural development.

1. HORTICULTURE STUDY TOUR TO KENYA
BY SNV ETHIOPIA AND PARTNERS
16 – 20 January 2017

2. WHY THE TOUR?
A delegation from SNV Ethiopia and Ministry of
Agriculture and Natural Resources visited Kenya:
•To understand the Kenyan national experience in
horticultural development.
•To learn from SNV Kenya experience in agricultural
development in the horticulture sub-sector.

3. INSTITUTIONS VISITED
A total of 8 stakeholders –including
government regulatory, marketing,
research and inspection bodies,
farms, companies and cooperative
farmers associations were visited
during the 5 day tour.

4. KEY LESSONS… WHAT ETHIOPIA HAS LEARNT FROM KENYA

5. KEY LESSONS … WHAT ETHIOPIA HAS LEARNT FROM KENYA
A market led approach is key to the horticulture sector
development.
Private sector plays a critical role in delivering efficient
extension services in Kenya
Public private partnerships – Symbiotic relationships
between all the stakeholders – ends up being a win-win
for everybody.
Kenya has efficient regulatory frameworks and institutions
– KEPHIS and HCD.

6. LESSONS CONT…
Kenya has strong phytosanitary systems and efficient
traceability mechanisms that make Kenya’s products
competitive at the global market. Efforts are being made to
apply the same for domestic markets.
Streamlining of various government institutions under one
authority [Agriculture and Food Authority] had ensured better
sector coordination and increased efficiency.
Developing a country focused horticulture strategy has given
the sector clear priority areas for development.

7. MORE LESSONS…
Cohesiveness and common interests of farmers at cooperatives
level increases productivity and build trusts.
There is need for regional trade and branding of the African
produce at the global market.
The role of women in the horticulture sector is critical to spur
economic growth. Kenya has made progress, but more needs to
be done especially at the local level to ensure women’s voices are
heard at the cooperative and household level.

8. MORE LESSONS…
Key lesson in developing good business cases from the SNV
Kenya programs will inform business case development within
HortiLIFE program in Ethiopia.
Use of technology enhances value chain relationships –
Mpesa payments of farmers enhances trust and reliability
between farmers and processors.

9. AND A FEW MORE..
Government creates an enabling policy environment and
complements the work of private sector e.g. providing produce
handling facilities [HCD pack house], marketing.
Brokers play a strategic role in the value chain and need to be
properly managed.
Development partners play a critical role in complementing
government effort.

10. SNV KENYA
INTRODUCTION TO SNV KENYA’S
AGRICULTURE PORTFOLIO
Agriculture portfolio [in the context of
the tour] :
1. Kenya Market led Horticulture
Program
2. Kenya Market led Dairy Program
3. Smart Water for Agriculture
4. Mau-Mara Serengeti Sustainable
Water Initiative
5. Others include: Drylands
Development Programme and Voice
for Change Partnership.
Ms. Mary Njuguna, Agriculture
Sector Lead, SNV Kenya

11. SNV KENYA KEY SUCCESS FACTORS
 A market led approach to program design and implementation.
 Strategic partnerships with private sector, farmer organisations,
government and government institutions and agencies e.g. dairy training
institute.
 Effective delivery mechanism of advisors and local capacity builders
[LCBs] embedded in each of the programmes.
 Centralized project control – managed by lead Consortium partner and
with clear articulation of roles between all members.
 Multi-skilled and diverse teams that bring complementarity to the
implementation of the programs.

12. • The key lesson from what didn’t
work is that partnership
management with clear roles,
responsibilities, strengths and
expectations is critical from the
onset of designing the program
and its implementation.
• Enhance more experience sharing
and learning between programs,
institutions and sector players.
• The need for
real impact
assessments.

13. MORE LESSONS
• Need for synergies with other projects to reduce wastage
of time, efforts and resources.
• Income is a good value proposition. The guarantee of
increased revenue is a secure trigger for farmers to adopt
technologies.
• Monitoring – develop standardized templates for all
partners.
• Good contacts/networking (Public-private partnerships) and
strong technical team are key ingredients to success.

14. EXPERIENCES FROM THE SECTOR STAKEHOLDERS

15. MEET MICHAEL, A HARDWORKING SMALLHOLDER FARMER IN LIMURU,
Designed his own greenhouse
with support from technicians
after training and
demonstration by HortIMPACT.
Optimistic with the devolved
system of government, which
he believes will prioritize
support to farmers, especially
on extension services and
credit facilities.
“There are two types of farmers –
hardworking and lazy farmers. The
hardworking ones are not limited by being
smallholder; rather they work with the little
support they get to grow their farms not just
for consumption produce, but as a business”

16. SUNRIPE LTD – OVER 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A PRODUCER,
PROCESSOR, EXPORTER AND MARKETER OF FRESH FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND
FLOWERS.
 Local & international footprint – 6 packhouses in Limuru, Nairobi,
Naivasha, Mt. Kenya, Koka (Ethiopia) and Arusha (Tanzania)
 Efficient land use management is critical in meeting food
security objectives.
 South-South trade should be supported by governments as they
are a catalyst for West-South trade.
 The market needs to be more organized to minimize food loses,
as well as unsafe food (by illegal cartels) getting into the market.
 The African youth will play a critical role in transforming the
African horticulture if they are provided with the right training
and incentives for farming.
 Ethiopia could benefit immensely from horticulture by opening up
its markets to local and international private sector investors.

17. ABOUT HORTICULTURAL CROPS DIRECTORATE [HCD] - UNDER THE
AGRICULTURE AND FOOD AUTHORITY (AFA) A MERGER OF 10 PARASTATALS TO ENSURE EFFICIENCY
AND EFFECTIVE DELIVERY OF SERVICE.
The largest growing sub-sector, horticulture
contributes 25% of agricultural contribution to GDP.
2015 – Earned Kenya KSh. 91billion in international
trade; 200billion domestic market. The sector is
private sector-driven, but government facilitates and
regulates.
HCD promotes cottage industries, value addition,
contract farming and innovative technologies e.g.
greenhouse technology, new seed varieties etc.
HCD manages its produce handling facility at JKIA,
available for lease or hire. 99% of HCD’s funding is
from the Government of Kenya.
Its roles and functions:
Regulating, promoting,
coordinating, developing
and facilitating operations
of the horticultural sub-
sector to ensure smooth
production and marketing
environment and to
advocate for policies that
favor investment and
enhanced performance of
the sub-sector.

18. WAMU INVESTMENTS -- 27 YEARS OF PRODUCING & EXPORTING FRESH FRUITS & VEGETABLES.
Founded by Peris Muriuki - operates two
pack houses at the Jomo Kenyatta Airport.
80% of exports are packed vegetables
and main market is Europe, though it
occasionally exports mangoes to the
Middle East.
Works with 1,000 farmers across the
country and provide technical advice, in
line with stringent standards required e.g.
<10% maximum residue levels.
Produce: Baby corn, French beans,
broccoli,, green and yellow beans,
peas, avocadoes, mangoes

19. Regulated through KEPHIS and HCD,
provides farmer with certified seeds
through support by development like SNV
who meet certification costs.
Utilises mobile technology M-PESA to pays
farmers directly less Ksh 5 deducted for
admin costs of the cooperative/society.
The company emphasizes on quality and
high standards through the whole process
of grading, sorting, packing and labeling
facilitates traceability.
“TRUST IS KEY – A FARMER
IS INTERESTED IN A
COMPETITIVE PRICE AND
TIMELY PAYMENT OF DUES”

20. “It’s not easy to manage
farmer groups, hence
issues of side selling
and brokers pose a
challenge as it breaches
contractual agreements”

21. LINKING INDUSTRY WITH ACADEMIA - RESEARCH, EDUCATION &
TRAINING
Works with various stakeholders to ensure that
education, research and trainings are relevant
to the needs of the horticulture sector.
There is demand to roll out competency based
training in Kenya as enshrined in the TVET Act.
Full private sector engagement in education,
research and training can lead to an increased
productivity by 30%.

22. KENYA AGRICULTURE & LIVESTOCK RESEARCH ORGANIZATION
 Conducts, promotes, co-ordinates and regulate
research with objective to generate and disseminate
crop and livestock information, technologies,
knowledge and services that respond to sector
demands, increased income and sustainable
livelihoods .
 Encourages the generation of technologies to
accelerate productivity, value addition and
enhancement of competitiveness in the horticulture
sub-sector to meet the local demand and tapping into
regional and international market opportunities.
 Does crop research to ensure effective application of
biotechnological techniques for value addition, food
safety and resolve biotic and abiotic stresses. In crop
health, it focuses on integrated pest management
(IPM), including use of bio-control agents and
establishment of a repository for pests and diseases.
“Farmers are thirsty for
knowledge hence the need to
provide demand driven
information”

23. KENYA HORTICULTURE COUNCIL - KHC
 Provides auditing services to producers and
exporters of horticulture products. 80% of KHC’s
costs are met by the members because they see value
in it and additional support from government and
NGOs. . There are 150 standards that need
harmonization and cascading.
 Smallholder outgrower farmers benefit through
capacity building projects and trainings, lobbying
and involvement in expos and trade fairs. It also
encourages exporters to join associations to ensure
they abide by market standards and avoid the risk
of jeopardizing the country’s image.

24. KHC CONT…
Partnerships within the sector are key – e.g. KHC partnering with
HIVOS on sexual harassment issues in the farm. Government ensures
exporters have requisite knowledge of the specific international market
requirements.
 There is need to look at where each country has a competitive edge at
the international level, but encourage healthy competition at the
company level.
 KHC focuses on market access and has put common procedures and
horticulture traceability systems to reduce interception at the airport

25. KENYA PLANT HEALTH INSPECTORATE – ENSURING PLANT HEALTH REGULATION
• Technology uptake is important – the institution manages
electronic based phytosanitary certification system, import
certification, seed automation processing (farmers just
send SMS to confirm authenticity of seeds) and integrated
pest information management system.
• KEPHIS houses national analytical chemistry laboratory to
analyze agrochemical formulations and residues in a wide
range of agricultural produce, soil, water and animal
tissues at a fee. This is part of ensuring food safety for
local consumption and international markets.
KEPHIS laboratory

26. KEPHIS CONT…
KEPHIS also conducts trainings for regulatory bodies and
business people who need to understand the value of
standards and quality. It also registers agro-vets and seed
merchants to facilitate traceability.

27. WRAP UP…DELEGATES APPRECIATED
• The importance of sharing and learning from each others
experiences and best practices.
• The relevance and suitability of the program [field
meetings, companies as well as government
representatives].
• A rich and diverse choice of stakeholders.

28. If you would like to learn more about AgriProFocus or discuss opportunities for
partnerships, please email: kenya@agriprofocus.com or visit www.agriprofocus.com
For more information about SNV, visit www.snvworld.org.