Kenya: Pilot agro-park Eldoret takes shape

From June 25th to 27th a delegation of the Kenya Industrial and Commercial Development Corporation (ICDC) visited the Dutch agri- and horticultural sector. During this mission several of the Green Farming members and their projects have been visited.

Earlier this year the ICDC requested the Kenya Embassy in the Netherlands and the Ministry of Economic Affairs to support them in a mission to perform a preliminary investigation for the development of sme agro-parks in Kenya. The ICDC is a development finance institution, owned by the Kenyan government, which provides financing and technical support services to new and established businesses in Kenya. One of their responsibilities is to develop the outline for a series of agro-parks throughout Kenya. These agro-parks are planned to be developed in Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret and Kisumu.

ICDC owns 54-ha of land in Eldoret to set up a first pilot agro-park that covers input suppliers, agro-processors, traders, exporters and retailers. During the mission in the Netherlands, the Chairman, Directors and Special Projects Manager of ICDC visited a selection of Green Farming members and their projects in the vegetable and flower sector. Green Farming facilitated a visiting program including visits to Frigo Breda, AVAG, ABC Westland agro-park, FloraHolland, Frankort & Koning and Valstar Holland. The ICDC delegation expressed their appreciation for the entrepreneurship and organisation of the Dutch agro-sector and will use the collected information and contacts in the development of the agro-park in Eldoret. The Netherlands Embassy in Nairobi intends to closely follow the developments in agro-park establishments in Kenya.

Source: www.greenfarming.nl