KENYA – The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has provided clarifications to address misinformation regarding the new safety rules and standards for horticulture farming and the industry.
KS 1758 is the National Horticulture Code of Practice, developed by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) in collaboration with stakeholders from both public and private sectors. It aims to address food safety gaps in the horticultural sector for both local and export markets.
Voluntary Certification
KS 1758 was introduced to enhance food safety in Kenya’s horticulture sector. Although it was initially launched in 2004, it gained prominence in 2014 due to increasing global food safety concerns.
However, the Standard remains voluntary, offering farmers the option to improve their practices rather than imposing a legal obligation.
“The Standard provides an opportunity for farmers to choose certification, but it does not prevent any farmer from producing or supplying horticultural products,” clarified AFA.
This directly contradicts recent reports suggesting that only large-scale farmers or those adhering to the Standard would be permitted to supply fruits and vegetables.
Improving Food Safety
A key motivation behind the KS 1758 Standard is to address food safety issues for locally consumed produce.
While exported fruits and vegetables are subject to stringent safety regulations, there have been ongoing concerns about the safety of locally consumed horticultural products, which account for 95% of Kenya’s total production.
“By applying the same safety and quality standards to local produce as we do to exports, we aim to close the gap and ensure that all Kenyans benefit from safe, quality produce,” stated AFA.
Certified farmers are likely to have better access to export markets that require strict compliance with food safety standards, giving them a competitive advantage.
Environmental Concerns and Certification Costs
AFA also clarified that the requirement for National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) licenses applies only to large-scale farmers whose activities could impact the environment.
This requirement is part of the environmental impact assessments included in the certification process under KS 1758 and does not affect small-scale farmers unless they choose to seek certification.
Addressing concerns about the cost of certification, AFA acknowledged that the process could be expensive for small-scale farmers. However, solutions such as group certification have been introduced to reduce costs.
