The Makueni County Government in Kenya has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with TradeMark Africa (TMA) to establish an Export Supply Hub (ESH). This initiative aims to reduce post-harvest losses and enhance international market access for mangoes, avocados, and French beans.
Makueni, a leading mango producer in Kenya, faces substantial wastage of its annual 245,000 metric tons harvest due to limited market access. The partnership seeks to address this by targeting global markets, particularly in the European Union (EU).
The ESH, part of the EU-funded Business Environment and Export Enhancing Programme (EU-BEEEP) and implemented by TMA, will centralize aggregation, cold storage, processing, and packaging. It will incorporate digital systems for produce traceability, boosting buyer confidence.
Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr highlighted the Hub's potential impact, stating, "The Export Supply Hub will not only reduce losses but also create a sustainable ecosystem that meets international sanitary and phytosanitary standards."
The facility will be linked to the Standard Gauge Railway for efficient shipments and will feature on-site inspection and certification services to meet export standards. Aggregation centers in Makueni and neighboring regions will support a consistent supply chain to the Hub.
TMA Country Director, Lillian Mwai-Ndegwa, emphasized the Hub's broader goals: "This Hub is about much more than market access, but also building resilience, sustainability, and competitiveness for our smallholder farmers."
The agreement also includes training for farmers to meet export market demands through enhanced production and value addition.
Source: Makueni
