Kenya Horticulture Competitiveness Program

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The Kenya Horticulture Competitiveness Program (KHCP) is a five-year program of the U.S. Agency for International Development in Kenya that began in 2010. It is being administered by the U.S. corporation Fintrac.[1] Fintrac also implemented its predecessor program, the Kenya Horticulture Development Program (USAID-KHDP) from 2003 to 2010.[2]

Goals

The program is intended "to improve productivity and food security and strengthen local and domestic horticulture supply chains."[2]

"USAID-KHCP is collaborating with public and private sector partners to address constraints and improve the enabling environment in four components of the horticulture industry:
  • Productivity Enhancement and Food Security – Focusing on increased adoption of new technologies for target crops.
  • Upgrading and Value Addition – Strengthening and adding linkages between growers, and small and large processors.
  • Value Chain Coordination, Marketing and Trade Promotion – Improving value chains integration and market information systems.
  • Business Environment and Institutional Capacity Building – Facilitating enabling policies and strengthening networks of business development services.[2]

KHCP is a continuation and an expansion of its predecessor program, the Kenya Horticulture Development Program. It seeks to help about 200,000 smallholders; build on standards compliance, increase productivity and product development; improve food security and nutrition; identify "value-addition opportunities"; and "[improve] the business environment" for horticultural investment and diversification.[2]

"USAID-KHCP is adopting a comprehensive Value Chain + Good Agricultural Practices (VC+GAP) approach to optimize productivity, market access, and income for small-scale farmers. Cross-cutting activities of the project including gender mainstreaming, environmental stewardship and natural resource management are embedded in all interventions."[2]

Target Crops

KHCP's target crops include:[2][3]

  • Fruit: Mangoes, avocadoes, passion fruit, papaya, and bananas
  • Vegetables: Peas, beans, chillies, tomatoes, onions, kale, cabbage, butternut squash and "export veg"
  • Root crops: Sweet potatoes and potatoes
  • Pulses: Cowpeas, Mung beans
  • Flowers: "Summer flowers for smallholders production," Arabicum, Eryngium, and Anthurium
  • Nuts: Cashews
  • Food: Dried chillies, dried fruit, potato flour
  • Fruit Juices: Mango, Passionfruit
  • Extracts: Aloe, Gum Arabic, Moringa
  • Essential Oils: Coriander, Palma Rosa, Tea Tree

Geographic Areas

The program operates in Thika in Kenya's Central Province; Mombasa in Coast Province; Kisumu in Nyanza Province; Eldoret in Rift Valley Province; Bungoma in Western Province; and Kibwezi in Eastern Province.[2]

Partners

Partners include:

"GNCP was awarded a partner fund agreement to help develop the passion fruit value chain. The group will work with various partners in the region to distribute clean planting materials to producers, while also working closely with traders, irrigation companies and other service providers involved in supporting the passion fruit value chain."[4]

Management

Contact Information

  • Kenya Horticulture Competiveness Project
  • Piedmont Plaza, Wing A, 3rd Floor, Ngong Road
  • P.O Box 3074-00506 Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi
  • Ph: 254-020-2121838, 254-020-2121839,
  • Email: khcp@fintrac.com
  • Web: http://www.growkenya.org/ or www.fintrac.com

Articles and resources

Related SourceWatch articles

References

  1. KHCP, Fintrac, Accessed November 8, 2011.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 KHCP Monthly Report 01: USAID-KHCP project overview, Grow Kenya.
  3. Tabitha Runyora, Slideshow on KHCP, Accessed June 12, 2012.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 KHCP Monthly Report 02, November 2010.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 KHCP Monthly Report 10, June 2011.

External resources

Monthly Updates

Market Information

External articles

2010:

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