Kenya, Netherlands in deal to boost food safety, link farmers to premium markets
ROP JANET-KNA
Kenyan smallholder farmers are set to benefit from a joint Kenya– Netherlands initiative aimed at enhancing food safety and linking growers directly to premium domestic and international markets through sustainable horticulture.
Dubbed the GreenLinks Project, the three-year initiative is jointly funded by the Dutch government through the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and private sector partners.
It will support 300 small- and medium-scale farmers in Kajiado, Kikuyu and Thika sub-counties to adopt safer production practices, reduce reliance on chemical pesticides, and supply consumers with safe, traceable vegetables.
The project is being implemented by Koppert Biological Systems, Holland Greentech, FutureWater, Latia Agribusiness Solutions and Greenspoon.
It combines Dutch agricultural innovations with local expertise to strengthen Kenya’s horticulture value chain.
Farmers will receive training in good agricultural practices (GAP), integrated pest management (IPM), post-harvest handling and sustainable production, alongside access to biological crop protection solutions, improved hybrid seed varieties and precision irrigation advisory services.
Speaking during the launch in Isinya, Kajiado County, the Agricultural Counselor at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kenya, Bart Pauwels, said the initiative seeks to address two major challenges facing farmers; safe crop production and reliable market access.
“This is one of three projects we are implementing with the private sector to strengthen Kenya’s agricultural sector, particularly smallholder farmers. Our goal is to ensure we connect them to sustainable markets, help them increase their yields and gradually transition them to safer production practices,” said Pauwels.
He said the project responds to growing consumer demand for vegetables that are safe, traceable and produced using environmentally sustainable methods.
Food safety has become a growing concern in Kenya, with consumers increasingly raising concerns over chemical pesticide residues in vegetables sold in urban markets.