Inside Ruto Govt Plan to Revamp Ksh 152B Industry After European Union Meeting

President William Ruto alights from Kenya Airforce plane in 2019.
President William Ruto alights from Kenya Airforce plane in 2019.
DPPS

President William Ruto's government is set to revamp the operations of the Horticultural sector in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint from the Ksh152 billion sector.

In a statement dated Thursday, May 18, the European Union (EU) noted that the state, in collaboration with its members, was working towards transferring transportation of 50 per cent of horticultural produce from air travel to sea.

The resolution reached during a meeting at the Mombasa Port is expected to be rolled out in a span of 10 years, a duration that will largely be under Ruto's regime should he win a second term in 2027.

The meeting was organised to map out pathways towards transitioning to moving more horticultural exports by sea.

A photo of container ships docked at the port of Mombasa on Monday, April 17, 2023.
A photo of container ships docked at the port of Mombasa on Monday, April 17, 2023.
Photo: Kenya Ports Authority

Ambassador for the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Kenya, Maarten Brouwer, expressed his enthusiasm in the new project and highlighted the importance of fostering innovations in port development.

“The transition from air freight to sea freight will have to go hand in hand with the private sector. It is important to create export volumes, optimize systems and foster innovations in port development.

"Therefore, I am very happy to have attended the first public-private working group meeting to facilitate the shift from air freight to sea freight,” stated Brouwer.

The Kingdom of Netherlands spearheaded the transition with the support of Denmark and the larger European Union.

For now, a larger percentage of horticultural exports from Kenya to the European market is carried out through air transport which accounts for a larger carbon footprint.

Some of the consumers in Europe, which is at the forefront of fighting climate change, had raised concerns over the mode of transport of the produce.

“It will be good both for Kenya and for importing countries like Denmark. We look very much forward to active participation first in the mapping of the opportunities, engaging the private sector in Kenya as well as in Denmark and later to contributing to the implementation of the transformation,” expressed Denmark’s Ambassador to Kenya Ole Thonke.

The Port meeting was attended by Mining CS Salim Mvurya, representatives from the Ministry of Roads and Transport and ambassadors from European Union Member States in Kenya among other dignitaries.

For decades, the horticultural sector was ranked among Kenya's highest earners and raked in Ksh152 billion in revenue in 2022.

Air transport was regarded as a fast means but has an estimated 2.5 per cent share of global carbon emissions, despite ferrying just 1 per cent of total global cargo.

Sea freight, on the other hand, produces about 2.9% of carbon emissions and accounts for over 80% of global trade by volume and 70% by value.

President Ruto is also working towards spearheading Kenya's manufacturing market to hit carbon net zero.

President William Ruto speaking during a Media Engagement, at State House, Nairobi on May, 14, 2023.
President William Ruto speaking during a Media Engagement, at State House, Nairobi on May, 14, 2023.
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