Agriculture For Industry: KAM’s Collaborative Endeavors for Sustainable Growth in Homa Bay County and Beyond

23/01/2024: In their pursuit of enhancing value for local farmers, Homa Bay County Government actively seeks partnerships in key agricultural value chains, including cotton, oilseeds (groundnuts, sunflower, and soya bean), pineapples, and poultry. Today, a delegation from Homa Bay County, led by Her Excellency Governor Gladys Wanga paid a courtesy call to KAM to explore the potential of off-taking products identified by the county as priority agricultural value chains.

Governor Wanga expressed that this presents an opportunity to uplift the people of Homa Bay, emphasizing, “Our responsibility is to mobilize farmers through cooperatives and address input, extension, and off-take needs. Understanding market requirements is crucial to rectify existing gaps, providing not only an opportunity to meet local demand but also to explore export markets.”

She concluded by extending invitations and raising awareness about the upcoming Homa Bay Investment Conference scheduled for February 27th to 29th, 2024, expressing readiness for partnership and action.

Highlighting the association’s commitment to making Agriculture for Industry (A4I) work, KAM Chief Executive Anthony Mwangi provided an overview of the value chains that KAM has identified. He emphasized the association’s mandate to implement A4I and ensure its success. This commitment involves bolstering integration between agriculture and manufacturing sectors, working towards a harmonious collaboration that contributes to the overall development and competitiveness of Kenya’s manufacturing sector.

Deliberative conversations were held with members on these value chains, along with discussions on the cost of doing business, aiming to gain insights and strategize the way forward. This collaborative effort is part of the broader goal to increase the manufacturing sector’s contribution to 20% by 2030. Noteworthy is the focus on import substitution for groundnuts, which is expected to have a positive impact on job creation, foreign exchange earnings, savings, and inclusive economic development.