Kenyan floriculture industry welcomes Ethiopian delegation to discuss false codling moth management

This week (8–13 January 2023), a delegation from the Ethiopian public and private sector are in Kenya as part of an expert mission on false codling moth (FCM) management. The visiting delegation is composed of technical and management staff from the Ethiopian Agricultural Authority (EAA) and the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA).

The FCM is classified a priority quarantine pest in the EU, one of Ethiopia’s main export destinations. To address the FCM challenge, various consultations were held between Kenyan, Ethiopian and EU industry stakeholders to facilitate exchange of information on best practices related to the management and control of FCM. During the preparatory stages, Sylvie Mamias, Secretary General of the International Flower Trade Association (Union Fleurs), highlighted that FCM interceptions are a real threat to the competitiveness of floriculture industries, with a potential negative impact on the income and livelihoods of growers and workers in Ethiopia and Kenya. It was acknowledged that the Kenyan floriculture industry has been at the forefront of FCM management in past years. Therefore, the Kenyan and Ethiopian floriculture industries and competent authorities agreed to share experiences and join forces in a regional approach to FCM management and control.

During the visit to Kenya, Ethiopian plant health inspectors, trainers and extension staff will learn from their Kenyan peers on the best practices for managing and controlling FCM at the farm level, performing inspections both at farm and at the airport, and how to set-up improved internal audit systems to limit the spread of FCM. In addition, meetings will be held with the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), the Kenya Flower Council (KFC), the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB), Royal FloraHolland and various Kenyan exporters.

Through its Fit for Market Plus and NExT Kenya programmes, COLEAD participated in the consultations prior to the visit, and will participate in and facilitate some of the meetings in Kenya.

This activity is supported by the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) and NExT Kenya (New Export Trade) programmes, implemented by COLEAD within the Framework of Development Cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union. NExT Kenya programme is established in collaboration with the EU Delegation in Nairobi and Kenyan stakeholders.