Agency eyes more honey markets after US deal

KVDA Director Sammy Naporos (second-left) tours the firm's exhibition stand during the ASK show held in Uasin Gishu County on March 3, 2023. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) will next week ship five tonnes of honey to the United States as it targets 300,000 kilos by next year.

As part of enhancing its local and regional markets, yesterday KVDA opened a shop in Nairobi's Eastleigh business district, where it targets to sell 3000 kilos of honey and exports to Somalia, which was recently incorporated into the East African Community.

Cabinet Secretary for Ministry of East African Community, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development Peninah Malonza speaking in Eastleigh hailed the agency for empowering local communities through value addition.

"KVDA is impacting lives through its honey project following the successful implementation of the mango project a few years back. The money from buying the honey goes directly into changing the lives of the arid and semi-arid region of Kerio Valley," said Ms Malonza.

KVDA Managing Director Sammy Naporos said the key objective of the organisation is to propel development to improve the region's per capita income through projects like the honey and mango ones as well as an upcoming one on drought-resistant grass.

"Kerio Valley Pure Natural Acacia Honey is one of the leading brands in the market, and the Authority is expanding its clientele base by bringing the products closer to the people. We want to increase the uptake of beekeeping by local communities for economic transformation in our region as opposed to traditional cattle keeping which has been a source of conflict," said Mr Naporos.

He said the Authority is looking to raise the output of the honey it processes annually to 300 tonnes.