Kenya has introduced a new traceability system designed to enhance the quality and competitiveness of its horticultural exports. The National Horticulture Traceability System (NHTS), developed by the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), will monitor products from farm to market through a centralised platform, ensuring compliance with international standards.
The initiative aims to tackle long-standing challenges in the sector, including the export of immature produce, the use of unauthorised chemicals, and limited traceability. By unifying multiple regulatory bodies under one platform, the NHTS seeks to streamline oversight, improve transparency, and strengthen Kenya’s global reputation as a horticulture exporter.
The Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD) highlighted that, despite the sector’s significant contribution to the national economy, it continues to face hurdles such as inefficient licensing, poor coordination among regulators, and difficulty meeting global market requirements.
“To address the above challenges, AFA-HCD developed the NHTS to handle the issues with traceability. The system was audited, and several issues were identified as necessary to be fixed before roll-out. Further, AFA-HCD would like to enhance the system to include registration, inspections, audits, licensing, import and export processes,” AFA noted in a statement.
Several key agencies will be integrated into the NHTS framework. The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) will oversee tax compliance and revenue tracking, while the Business Registration Service (BRS) will verify the legal standing of businesses. The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis) will issue phytosanitary certificates, and the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) will monitor the use of approved agrochemicals. The Kenya Integrated Agriculture Management Information System (KIAMIS) will manage the registration and verification of farms.
With its launch, the NHTS is expected to improve coordination, raise product standards, and promote safer, higher-quality horticultural exports.
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