Kenya’s Green Supplement focusing on Tea and Coffee Value Chains

The State Department of Trade of Kenya in collaboration with the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Government of Denmark through DANIDA, is hosting a two-day stakeholder validation workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, from 10-11 December 2024. This workshop will center on the integration of a green supplement focusing on coffee and tea value chains, as a key component of the national implementation strategy for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Kenya is among the world’s largest producers and exporters of coffee and tea and their associated value chains account for nearly half of the wage employment in agriculture. This features the significant role these sub-sectors play in the economy. Nonetheless, these sectors are facing climate-induced challenges which induced the government of Kenya to incorporate green value chain practices into its national AfCFTA implementation strategy to align trade with global environmental goals.

The workshop gathers key stakeholders, such as policymakers, industry leaders, environmental experts, traders and producers. The aim is to assess and validate proposed strategies that promote sustainable practices within the coffee and tea sectors. These commodities are important sources of earnings for many African countries and the integration of green supplement into their value chains will help in the growth of the economies in these countries, support sustainability of the environment and achieve the objectives of the AfCFTA.

Participants will learn about possible ways to make coffee and tea production and value chains more compliant to safeguarding the environment, and solutions to incorporate green financing into the value chains and how to enhance regional trade integration. The outcome of the workshop will be a set of recommendations to help achieve sustainable practices along the supply chains across the continent.

ECA is committed to supporting member states to attain sustainable and inclusive growth through the AfCFTA. With the integration of green supplement into value chains, Africa’s economic development will align with global sustainability goals.

Source: ECA