Biovision Africa Trust with GIZ-Kenya launches the project ‘Strengthening Regional Trade Through Compliance with the East African Organic Product Standard (EAOPS) in Eastern Africa’

Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT) is pleased to launch a new project critical to promoting organic trade titled, “Strengthening Regional Trade through Compliance with the East African Organic Product Standards (EAOPS),” funded by GIZ to run for 2 years beginning October 2024 in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. This project is part of the Alliance for Product Quality in Africa (AfPQ), a multi-actor-partnership of stakeholders of the European and African private sector, quality infrastructure and development cooperation. The AfPQ seeks to improve the quality of products from African countries, so that they comply with the demands of regional and international buyers. That way, exports can be increased, and value chains expanded, facilitating economic growth and job creation. AfPQ supports companies, mainly in the agro-processing sector, that are export-ready, or have willing buyers in destination countries, but have existing gaps in their QMS or lack voluntary standard certificates.

The East Africa trade project was officially launched during a four-day Inception and Exchange Workshop held at Pride Inn Paradise Hotel in Mombasa Kenya from 2^nd to 5^th, September 2024.  The workshop brought together 36 participants from a network of collaborating National Organic Agriculture Movements/Associations (NOAMs), National Bureaus of Standards, private companies trading within the eastern Africa region and globally, Certification Bodies, Farmers and Farmer cooperatives across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

The goal of the project is to ‘stimulate and promote inter-regional trade in East Africa by facilitating the adoption and sustainable use of the East African Organic Product Standards (EAOPS) in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda’. BvAT coordinates the project in East Africa to be directly implemented by the Kenya Organic Agriculture Movement (KOAN) of Kenya, National Organic Agriculture Movement of Uganda (NOGAMU) of Uganda, and Tanzania Organic Agriculture Movement (TOAM) collaborating closely with the quality assurance institutions. The workshop also included partners’ financial teams to familiarize themselves with the financial management of grant agreements and procurement procedures. Participants engaged in vital discussions, explored opportunities, and strategized on how to elevate the organic trade sector in East Africa.

Mr. Jan Miksch, the Project Manager GIZ Ethiopia, in his opening remarks was optimistic that the project would strengthen regional trade in eastern Africa and beyond adding that enhancing the use of the EAOPS by the project would be a great milestone. He thanked BvAT for coordinating the launch of the project through the inception and exchange sharing workshop. Ms. Jasmin Gohl, Project Manager at GIZ Alliances for trade in East Africa thanked Biovision Africa Trust for coordinating and hosting the 4-day workshop, adding that she looks forward to working with the partners.

In his welcoming remarks, Dr. David Amudavi, the Executive Director of Biovision Africa Trust expressed his appreciation to the GIZ team for approving the commencement of the project. He also acknowledged the presence of essential stakeholders crucial for the project’s success and especially KOAN of Kenya, NOGAMU of Uganda, and TOAM of Tanzania.

Dr. Amudavi highlighted that the workshop would tackle the important issue of boosting regional trade in East African organic products. He stressed the significance of leveraging the EAOPS to unlock the considerable potential of the regional organic market and emphasized that collaborative efforts would lead to the creation of a unified standard that promotes the growth of organic agriculture while ensuring sustainable development in the region.

Ms. Venancia Wambua, the Project Manager, in her remarks welcomed all participants to the workshop and thanked them for their participation in the workshop. She also presented an overview of the project and outlined the key project objectives: 1) Strengthening Regional Trade: The project aims to support 48 companies from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to capitalize on export opportunities, particularly within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); 2) Enhancing Capabilities: The initiative aims for these 48 companies to fully comply with EAOPS, improving their regional trade practices; 3) Promoting Compliance: It is anticipated that at least 48 employees or farmers-24 of whom will be women-will demonstrate compliance with EAOPS in their trading activities; and 4) Supporting National Bodies: The project will enable national organic associations in the three countries to improve their services based on EAOPS certification for their members.

During the inception workshop, the East Africa partners led by the NOAMs developed Collaborative Action Plans that would strengthen stakeholder and partnership engagement between the NOAMs, National Bureau of standards, Certification bodies (CBs), Participatory Guarantee Farmer Groups (PGS). This collaboration will enhance organic trade within the easter Africa region and globally.

Key areas that were outlined in the action plan to support in the implementation of the EAOPS and Kilimohai mark included:

1. NOAMs to develop and operationalize MOUs with National Bureaus of Standards bodies.
2. Involve Certification Bodies, NOAMs and Bureaus of Standards bodies in annual organic promotion and trade activities.
3. Undertake joint advocacy activities to address non-tariff trade barriers.
4. Support in the review of the EAOPS whose review is ongoing by the East Africa Community with Uganda Bureau of standards (UNBS) taking lead
5. Undertake awareness creation across various mainstream, social media platforms on EAOPs as an important organic standard.
6. Review the procedures of registration of certification bodies
7. NOAMS and CBs to develop a Kilimohai traceability system for organic products
8. NOAMS and CBS to develop implementation of a business model for commercializing Kilimohai.
9. NOAMS to introduce organic production courses/modules in tertiary institutions

Additional ideas included creating a business model for commercializing Kilimohai, leveraging on the ongoing ecological agriculture and agroecology projects, introducing curricula on organic agriculture in education and training institutions, and utilizing social media to promote EAOPS and the Kilimohai mark. The participants also stressed the need for more media sponsorship for branding and promoting the Kilimohai mark.

In conclusion, Mr. Manaseh Oiro, Policy Advisor for the Alliances for Product Quality Kenya (AFPQ) expressed optimism that the regional partners will work together to make this project a success and lead to more important areas catalyzing further inter- and intra-trade. The workshop motivated the NOAMs to coordinate the review of the EAOPS and exercise that is currently ongoing within the East Africa Community and reactivating the Joint Management Committee (JMC). A collective commitment is essential to enhance regional trade through compliance with EAOPS, foster sustainable growth in the East African organic sector, and pave the way for future success.

Kilimo-Hai Mark

Kilimohai Organic^TM is the standard mark of Organic Certification in Kenya. Having it means that the product has been certified under East Africa Organic Products Standards. The mark of certification applies for Agricultural Inputs, Fresh and Dried farm produce and processed food product. Kilimo Hai – Making sure that you only buy authentic organic (kilimohaikenya.org)

Prepared  by BvAT AfPQ Project Team