Nairobi Trade Fair rakes in millions

By Macharia Kamau

A fortnight ago, the Jamhuri Park hosted the annual Nairobi International Trade Fair organised by the Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK).

“The Show”, as it is popularly known, has however changed over time with different schools of thought disagreeing as to whether the change has been for the better or worse.

There has been a growth in numbers of people attending the Fair, with an excess of 700,000 people visiting over the five-day event.  Participants have also grown, exhibiting a wide range of products, the organisers.

But critics say the Fair has been commercialised, with the primary objective of giving information to the farmer being lost on the organisers.

Paul Mbuni thinks the Show has lost its focus from what he says was ‘an educational affair for the farmer’ to ‘money generating avenue for the organisers’.

“The initial objective of the Show was agricultural... it used to showcase new technologies and farming methods that were beneficial to the farmer – both large and small. It has over time lost this and is now more focused on activities that generate revenues for the Agricultural Society of Kenya,” said Mbuni, who is the chairman of the Kenya Society for Agricultural Professionals.

“Today, it is more of a carnival, and does close to nothing in getting relevant information to the farmer. This is sad because agriculture is the backbone of Kenya’s economy.”

Focus On business

“The emphasis is more on business than agri-business... we are not against business fairs but these are under the jurisdiction of the Trade Ministry, which holds them both locally and in other markets,” he said.

Mbuni added that fair is also a place where the players in the agricultural sector could interest young Kenyans in agricultural but counts that as a lost opportunity for getting the youth into agriculture.

“Exhibitors from other sectors that are marketing themselves better at the fair such that they are more attractive to the younger generation. The show should be one of the platforms to sell agriculture to the youth, something that is necessary given the median age of the farmer in Kenya has been going up,” he said.

“They have maintained the same stands in the same manner that they were over 20 years ago. There are no attempts to show case what is new in the industry and we are losing on new innovations as a sector.”

The Agricultural Society of Kenya, which has been managing Trade Fair, argues the farmer, especially the smallholder farmer, is still central focus of the Show.

“The focus of the Show has been and remains promoting agriculture. The Society’s Vision is to be the best disseminator of Agricultural allied industries and trade information in the region,” said Bertram Muthoka, ASK chief executive.

Staging exhibition

He added that ASK had taken a multi-stakeholder approach in organising and staging exhibitions, trade fairs and using ICT to promote excellence in agriculture allied industries and trade.

“What may seem like exhibitors from other sectors are allied to Agriculture. You will agree with me that financial institutions like banks cover agriculture and the products that they exhibit are agriculture related,” he said.

“The sector needs the motor industry for not just the pickups, trucks but other Agri-machinery and motor like combine harvesters and tractors... we are far from deviating from the Agricultural focus.”

But even as certain quarters feel that the fair has lost its appeal and glory, it seems to be growing in terms of numbers. Last year, the event was visited by 480,000 people over the five days.  The number grew to 768,000 this year with each person paying between Sh250-350 per entry, while vehicles — numbering about 4,000 daily — paid Sh150 per car.

Muthoka, however, observes that the society’s main focus is not revenue collection as ASK is a non-profit making organisation.

“This year, we registered a huge increase in the number of international companies, we had a total of 50 companies, compared to 36 last year. The countries participating this year included France, Ukraine, Hungary, China, Botwsana, Ghana, Pakistan, and India,” he said.