Food safety and plant health inspectorates from 19 African countries are in Nairobi to discuss ways to streamline regulations ahead of Africa-wide free market access. The meeting sponsored by United States Aid for International Development (USAid) heard that Africa must uphold high standards in food and crop health to generate inter-country trade as well as boost confidence with processed agro-products heading to foreign markets. Council of Governors Agriculture Committee vice chairman Jackson Mandago said Africa must invest in research as well as share knowledge on technological innovations with farmers to boost food production and collaborative research. Mr Mandago, also the Uasin Gishu governor, said Kenya must heavily invest in public research that will enable free roll-out of all innovations realised during research. “Private companies conducting research have an obligation to commercialise their findings and profit from their work, but public agricultural research agencies have a national duty to benefit the public,” he said. Kenya Plant Health and Inspectorate Services (Kephis) managing director Esther Kimani said it had requested for Sh1.4 billion to enable them equip their research stations as well as prepare staff for prompt response measures in case of an outbreak. Source: Business Daily

Globally, women’s contribute to agricultural development in various capacities as producers, labourers and marketers. They have an important role to play in agricultural development and food security through entrepreneurship. In developing countries women’s role as agriculture entrepreneurs is not fully explored and well recognized. Women entrepreneurs in agriculture are facing real challenges like access to financial resources, assets and training. As per FAO estimates, women worldwide are responsible for more than half of all the food produced. This includes up to 80% of food production in African countries, 60% in Asia and between 30 and 40% in South America. This shows that main activity in which rural women’s are engaged is farming. Again rural women’s are suffering from poverty due to small land holdings and subsistence farming. Gender bias and women’s low social standing due to the patriarchal nature of societies women’s are rarely legally or socially recognized as head of the farm. They are seldom granted land tenure rights and often have less access to essential production inputs such as: land; financial services; access to markets; storage; and technical support. Agripreneurs in Rwanda Rwanda is one of countries encouraging and supporting women entrepreneurs in Africa. According to the Global Gender Gap Report, Rwanda is ranked 6th globally in terms of closing gender gaps. The Government of Rwanda has made a strong political commitment to enhance gender equity and equality and is determined to implement in government policies at all levels. Rwanda is a signatory to international and regional legal...

KAMPALA, UGANDA- Uganda still remains the predominant transit destination through Mombasa Port, with a total transit traffic of 7,112,971 tons in 2017 up from 6,346,715 tons in 2016 according to officials from the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA). This was an increment of 522,876 tons between the two years representing an 82.3% share of the total transit cargo through Mombasa Port. “Uganda’s import traffic is the driver of this growth, recording a notable volume of 6,590.095 tons in 2017 against 5,922,160 tons handled in 2016. This represents a volume growth of 667,935 tons or 11.3%,” said Edward Kamau the General Manager Corporate Services Kenya Ports Authority. He said exports as well as imports realized a marginal increase of 522,876 tons in 2017 against 424,555 tons handled in 2016, reflecting a mild increase of 98,321 tons or 23.2%. The total through put registered at Mombasa Port had a notable growth of 10.9% recording 30.35 million tons from the 27.36 million tons that was recorded in 2016. The increase was attributed to improved efficiency assisted by continued investment in infrastructure development. Kamau said imports through Mombasa Port grew by 10.7% posting 25.6 million tons in 2017 from 23.12 million tons in 2016. It accounted for a dominant traffic share of 84.4% of the total throughput reflecting a huge imbalance of trade. “On the other hand, exports increased by 3.8% recording 3.8million tons up from 1.09 million tons handled in 2016. Container traffic increased by 9% recording 1.19 million TEU in 2017 up from...

The Port of Mombasa is poised to facilitate even more trade within the region after recent infrastructural improvements, acquisition of new equipment and improved collaboration drastically boosted port efficiency and cargo throughput. The port is now one of the best-equipped in the continent, with the container terminal boasting of 13 Ship to Shore Gantry Cranes (STS), 50 Rubber tyred Gantry Cranes (RTGs) and 78 Terminal tractors.  According to the Uganda Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Transport, Bageya Waiswa, traders in Uganda have realized increased growth in their businesses following initiatives implemented by Kenya Ports Authority such as Single Customs Territory that has reduced time taken by cargo between arrivals in Mombasa and transportation to Kampala. “Due to port expansion programme in Mombasa, the Authority now handles ships of up to 6000 Twenty Foot Container Equivalent (TEUS) capacity. This has significantly increased economies of scale consequently lowering the cost of doing business in the entire region,” noted Waiswa. In 2017, Uganda contributed 82.3 per cent of the total transit cargo through Mombasa port as compared to 73.2 per cent in 2013 – a 9.1 per cent increase. In a speech read on behalf of KPA’s top management during the 2018 stakeholders meeting in Kampala, the General Manager, Corporate Services, Edward Kamau attributed the improved port performance to increased collaboration between key relevant government agencies and transport infrastructural developments. “We have adopted an inter-agency approach where we closely collaborate with all cargo interveners to proactively find solutions to emerging issues. To...

UGANDA is upbeat that the landlocked East African countries will increasingly opt for the cost-effective central corridor for both its export and import cargo via the Dar es Salaam port, citing current efforts to improve the infrastructure. With these cooperative efforts, I don't see reasons why cargo shouldn't pass through the central corridor ... let's market the route," said Engineer Monica Ntege, Uganda's Minister of Works and Transport. Doubling as chairperson of the Central Corridor, Eng Ntege said the Ugandan government had since made efforts to encourage its business people to use the route after completion of construction of the Kampala-Port Bell rail line. The strategic railway which is part of the Central Corridor intends to improve movement of cargo to and from the port of Dar es Salaam through Mwanza port in Tanzania. Through the Uganda Railways Corporation (URC), she noted, they have already spoken with Ugandan companies to transport cargo through the central corridor. Yesterday, the minister visited Dar es Salaam port and other central corridor infrastructure to see development of the projects aimed at improving efficiency of the corridor. As chairperson of the central corridor I have to come to see for myself because I can't always rely on what technical people are briefing me," she said, adding that she saw construction activities going on. She said the two governments of Uganda and Tanzania are tirelessly working to increase the cargo volume via the Dar es Salaam port. "We believe that having cargo passing here through this...

About 70 members of Katuna business community have petitioned the State minister of Planning, Mr David Bahati, over the planned diversion of trailers and trucks heading to Rwanda to the Ntungamo-Mirama Hills route. The traders through the Katuna Town Council allege that the change of route from Katuna to Ntungamo-Mirama Hill will affect many of their businesses and therefore want Mr Bahati to intervene. They claim that they were reliably informed that Trade Mark East Africa meeting in Kigali, on May 25 attended by Uganda and Rwanda revenue authority officials resolved that all trucks heading to Rwanda must pass through Mirama Hills border following the collapse of a section of the Katuna road. The town council mayor, Mr Nelson Nshangabasheija, on Tuesday said some officials who attended the meeting conveyed the message to the traders and local leaders. The directive According to Mr Nshangabasheija, the resolution was supposed to take effect seven days from May 25. “The diversion of all the trucks from Katuna to Mirama Hills Border Post is in bad faith. It is aimed at killing the booming business at Katuna, especially now that the border operates 24 hours,” Mr Nshangabasheija said. He added: “We shall lose revenue from local communities selling agricultural products, facilities such as lodges and hotels, forex bureaus among others because they will have no business. We appeal to government to overrule the directive for the good of the people.” According to local leaders, at least 300 vehicles use the Katuna route daily because...

Kenya Airways (KQ) is yet to commit that it will offer freight space for flower exporters as it begins maiden direct flights to the US in October. According to Kenya Flower Council (KFC) CEO Clement Tulezi, KQ appears focused on growing passenger numbers as opposed to promoting trade through provision of space for cargo. “One thing we are looking at is how much of cargo space they (KQ) will have to airlift flowers from this country to the US. At the moment, we are not sure because in their business strategy, they are more focused on passenger numbers than cargo,” he said. Speaking yesterday in Nairobi after the opening of the International Flower Trade Expo, Mr Tulezi said flower exporters were in talks with KQ to help them leverage on direct flights to grow trade. Currently, Columbia dominates the US flower market, taking up about 70 per cent of the supplies. Kenya is yet to break beyond four per cent of the market, but exporters are keen to make inroads above 10 per cent, boosted by the direct flights. “We want to go into this market since we have a whole range of flowers, from low attitude to high attitude, than the South Americans are able to supply,” said Tulezi. The expo, now in its seventh year, brought together more than 135 exhibitors from Kenya, Spain, Russia, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, South Africa, European Union, Ecuador and India. At the same event, Trade Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo said he was...

The Japanese government is set to award the multi-billion shilling tender for the second phase of dualling of Dongo Kundu bypass, paving the way for the upgrade of the key infrastructure that will connects the North and South coast. The Sh25 billion contract, which is set to be awarded to the lowest bidder, will see the upgrade of the 8.9-km road start in August and run for four years. Chinese firm, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation upgraded the stretch between Mombasa-Kwa Jomvu section to a dual carriageway, the first phase of the road expansion plan. The project was funded by the African Development Bank and the government of Kenya to the tune of Sh11 billion. “The tender for the second phase of Dongo Kundu bypass which stretches between Mwache Junction and Mteza will be awarded towards the end of June and  is set to start by August,” said the Kenya National Highway Authority (Kenha) general manager for special projects David Muchilwa on Tuesday. “Japan International Cooperation Agency is the financier for the project,” he said. Mr Muchilwa, who was speaking to Shipping ad Logistics in an interview, said the scope of the work will involve construction of two bridges, one at Mwache which will be 660 metres long and another one at Mteza (1,440 metres). A sightseeing bay will also be constructed and at least 88 hectares of mangroves will be replanted along the highway. The road will also have intelligent traffic lights at major intersections. “This is one of...

The Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) has cleared 20 firms to bring in goods as consolidated cargo in a move expected to streamline importation of goods by small traders. Clearing agents pool goods for small importers into one container but while some agents have in the past taken advantage and resorted to tax evasion by mis-declaring the value of goods, others have used the channel to import substandard goods. The standards agency issued a notice to all importers of consolidated cargo, through both air and sea, to register with goods being inspected under a new rule. The Kebs head of inspection Eric Ochieng said of the 53 firms that had applied to be considered as consolidated cargo importers, less than half of them were cleared. “Only 20 firms have been approved to import as consolidators and we have written to the other 33 which had not met all the procedures and have not been approved,” Mr Ochieng said. The new rule which took effect on March 30 targets cargo containing a wide range of products or merchandise in small quantities or parcels belonging to several consignees who assemble them together. According to the new rule, all consolidated cargo must be inspected in the country of supply by agents appointed by kebs and issued with a Certificate of Inspection (CoI) before being imported into the country. The agency has contracted agencies to carry out inspection on its behalf from across the globe under the Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) programme. They include...

When East African countries announced a ban on the import of secondhand clothes to help their own textile industries, this irked US President Donald Trump. All but Rwanda have now backtracked. What's at stake? It's one of US President Donald Trump's trade wars that makes few headlines: The one over used clothes. In 2016, member states of the East African Community (EAC) came up with a plan to ban secondhand clothes and shoes by 2019. The EAC doubled a common external tariff rate for worn clothing to $0.40 (€0.34) per kilogram. Rwanda increased its per-kilogram import tax to $2.50. Trump threatened to retaliate, saying the tax goes against the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). At the end of March, Trump announced he would suspend the application of duty‑free treatment to all AGOA-eligible goods in the clothing sector for the Republic of Rwanda within 60 days. Rwanda didn't budge and let Trump's deadline run out last week. That means the US is now likely to impose tariffs on textile products and shoes from Rwanda. "Legally speaking, the US has the right to impose a penalty because, within AGOA, Rwanda is supposed to remove all barriers to US goods," Christopher Kayumba, an analyst and senior lecturer at the University of Rwanda, told DW. "But the spirit of AGOA is to help poor countries to evolve," he added. "I was surprised that a country as big and rich as the US [would] insist on exporting its secondhand clothes to a poor country like Rwanda," he said. Hampering Rwanda's development "We...