KS1758 Certification Awards to farms via the Retail Trade Association of Kenya (RETRAK)

The Retail Trade Association of Kenya (RETRAK) supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, working with Horticultural Crop Directorate (HCD), the Standards Projects Committee and agriculture sector industry players, has been running KS1758 – Part 2: Implementation Project, with a focus on fruits and vegetables. It is expected that adoption of Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) standard KS1758 will enhance food safety and food quality and facilitate sustainable market access for the Kenyan domestic market.

Additionally, the standard will promote good agricultural practices, social welfare, consumer protection and conservation of the environment; it will also enhance compliance with applicable laws and regulations that interface with agriculture.

The four farms to be certified are:

• Siavonga Farm, Emali
• Seeds in His Garden, Kitengela
• Woodfresh Farm, Kiambu
• Wangu Farm, Tigoni.

The issuance of these certificates is a great milestone towards achieving safe food in the Kenyan domestic market and is a legacy to be celebrated by all industry stakeholders.

The NExT Kenya programme supported the development of the implementation guidelines for KS1758 through the NExT Kenya programme supported by the European Union. KS1758 benchmarks against international standards, and farmers in Kenya are encouraged to adopt KS1758 to reduce public health concerns related to food. The processes involved in acquiring the standard include water, soil, and infrastructure testing as well as an audit. To attain the standard, farmers need to invest 200,000 Kenyan shillings. To date, three supermarkets in Kenya are selling KS1758 accredited products: Naivas, Carrefour and Quickmart. The standard will address issues raised by Kenyan consumers who have concerns regarding the safety of food produced in the country.

This activity is implemented by COLEACP and supported by the NExT Kenya (New Export Trade) programme, established in collaboration with the EU Delegation in Nairobi and Kenyan stakeholders.