Kenya charts path for cross-border agroecological trade in East Africa

At a time when Kenya, like many parts of Africa, is grappling with climate shocks and market disruptions that threaten food security, stakeholders are increasingly turning to agroecology as both a lifeline and a trade opportunity.

A recent multi-stakeholder meeting held in Nakuru sought to address the trade borders for agroecological produce and products, with an aim of not only promoting the trade but also enhancing efficiency in accessing agroecological produce and products.

The two-day forum brought together farmers, youth representatives, policymakers, and civil society to deliberate on how to unlock Kenya’s agroecological trade potential within the East African Community (EAC).

Under the theme My Food is African: Scaling Agroecological Trade and Livelihoods in East Africa, the meeting was convened by Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Kenya with support from the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) and Sweden.

In her opening remarks, PELUM Kenya Head of Programs Manei Naanyu said while agroecology is key towards addressing factors such as climate resilience, human and environmental health, protection of biodiversity, food and nutrition security, there is a need to streamline trade, especially at the cross-border level.

“Trade is a motivating factor in advancing agroecology. Therefore, addressing challenges such as customs bottlenecks, certification hurdles, and transport inefficiencies is key towards making smallholder agroecological produce more competitive across borders,” said Naanyu.

A presentation of a study done by AFSA assessing the ecosystem for agroecological products trade in the EAC revealed that while farmers move produce such as bananas, avocados, potatoes, maize, and vegetables across borders, agroecological products are not distinctly classified under Harmonised System (HS) trade codes.  

Because of this systemic anomaly, data on the performance of agroecological products in the EAC remains blurred.

The study examined cross-border agroecological trade at the Busia (Kenya–Uganda) and Namanga–Tarakea (Kenya–Tanzania) border points.

The study also exposed multiple non-tariff barriers, including high certification and inspection fees at $250 (Sh32,300) per consignment, costly pesticide residue analysis at $140 (Sh18,000) per pesticide residue analysis, and consular charges, delays at customs and limited utilisation of the Simplified Trade Regime, including a lack of awareness of the common list of preferential products on the STR.

Other barriers include exchange rate losses due to multiple EAC currencies, inadequate storage and poor roads, pushing some traders to rely on informal (commonly known as panya) routes.

“There is a need to address all these barriers, failure to which smallholder farmers will continue being locked out of formal markets,” said Kiiza Africa, a consultant on Trade and Agroecology who presented the research findings.

In the recent past, Kenya has made significant strides towards promoting agroecology, having launched the National Agroecological Strategy 2024, which guides the National Agroecology Policy (2021).

“This is a strategic approach for the county towards systems that link production with environmental sustainability, livelihoods, and economic development,” said the Principal Agriculture Officer at the State Department of Agriculture John Wainaina.

Agroecology, he added, offers nature-based solutions to climate-related risks while boosting trade and regional integration.

He highlighted measures under the national strategy that aim to ease the movement of agroecological products across borders, including harmonisation of trade protocols within the EAC, adoption of WTO-aligned facilitation frameworks, modernisation of customs through one-stop border posts, and tackling illicit trade.

Wainaina urged producers and traders to use formal channels to safeguard consumer trust, underscoring that agroecology is not just about sustainable farming but also about building resilient markets and communities across East Africa.

According to the Programs Coordinator at Trans-Community Organisation Rachael Atyang, adopting agroecology has gradually eased the financial burden on families by reducing dependency on costly synthetic inputs.

Atyang called for stronger policy support and urged Busia County to finalise and launch its Agroecology Policy.

Robert Mwangi, a youth agroecological farmer based in Njoro, Nakuru County, expressed optimism that young people can excel in this field. Mwangi, who runs the Bee My Partner farm, said there were numerous opportunities, such as composting, farming, seed production, value addition, making and selling bio inputs, and training, among others, that, if well explored, can create numerous employment opportunities.

“Young people do not have to depend on white collar jobs; they can embrace agroecology and heal not only the environment, but also the food systems and their economic status,” said Mwangi.

A member of Slow Food Kenya, Mwangi encouraged youths to join relevant organisations as they will access numerous opportunities such as market linkage, training, knowledge exchange, and exposure, among others.

He called on the government and other stakeholders to facilitate ease of trade both internally and regionally.

This way, Mwangi noted, more youths will venture into this sector and reduce the burden of unemployment in the country.