On May 30, 2022, the Government of the Netherlands and Kenya Flower Council signed a Framework of Cooperation on the adoption of sea freight for perishables in Kenya.
During the opening of the International Floriculture Trade Exhibition (IFTEX) at Oshwal Center in Nairobi, Kenya, the Ambassador of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mr Maarten Brouwer, and the Chairman of the Kenya Flower Council board, Mr Richard Fernandes, signed the framework.
The signing of the framework of cooperation between the Kenya Flower Council and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands aims to strengthen the efforts in adoption of sea freight for perishables in Kenya. To realize this, a full-time position of an agro-logistics coordinator has been developed to coordinate the initiative.
The framework of cooperation is a continuation of the cooperation between Kenya and The Netherlands in logistics. This cooperation was emphasized during the April 2022 visit to Kenya by Minister for International Trade and Development Cooperation, Ms Liesje Schreinemacher, and Cabinet Secretary of Transport, James Macharia, who signed a Letter of Intent on the shared ambition to improve the connection of ports through a 'Cool Logistics Corridor' on April 4, 2022.
Earlier, The Netherlands commissioned a study to gain insights into the challenges and opportunities of sea freight developments in Kenya and the impact on its agro-sector. By combining both air and sea transport, Kenya would be well-positioned to become the East-African perishable hub and ready for the future.
Kenya and the Netherlands have long-standing cooperation that spans over 40 years. Kenya has been a large horticulture producer and exporter for decades, bringing the country significant forex earnings and hundreds of thousands of jobs. Most of the export comprises of flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
Key to the success of the Framework will be the close collaboration between the key stakeholders including both governments of Kenya and the Netherlands, logistics companies, trade associations, growers, exporters, and other relevant private sector players.
