KAM CEO’s Brief | 7th September 2018

Annual SME Conference & Expo

Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) participated in the annual SME Conference and Expo themed SME Positioning in the Big 4 Agenda, aimed at enhancing SME sustainability through innovation.

Speaking at the forum, KAM Chairman, Mr. Sachen Gudka noted that SMEs are the backbone of the Kenyan Economy and they are expected to play a prominent role in driving the realization of the Big 4 Agenda.

“There is no future for industry without SMEs. They are a huge untapped resource for our economy. They play a huge role in providing goods and services, enhancing competition, fostering  innovation and generating employment,” added Mr Gudka.

KAM carried out sector deep dives for tea and textile & apparels out of several anchor sectors which have revealed very high possibility of value chain integration, if some sector specific proposals are considered.

“If we are earning X through exporting these products in raw form, we can earn at least 5X through value addition at source in Kenya.  We need to grasp the benefits of value addition. This will grow businesses along the value chains and in the process, create more direct and indirect jobs,” concluded Mr Gudka.