Cheap imports, skills shortage hurt leather trade

By James Anyanzwa

Lack of value addition for local leather products has severely limited growth of the industry.

Prof John Lonyangapuo, the Ministry of Industrialisation Permanent Secretary, said adoption of new leather production skills could turn around the sector, which has the potential of generating up to Sh9 billion in revenues for the Government each year.

In a statement yesterday, the PS blamed the acute shortage of qualified technical staff, and the dumping of cheap footwear and leather goods in the country for the problems facing the industry.

He said high manufacturing costs have also added to the industry’s underperformance.

Local consumption of Kenyan leather products should be encouraged, to jumpstart growth of the sector.

"In order to improve the economic performance of the leather sector, the industry is gearing itself towards expert orientation, so as to generate the much needed foreign earnings, as well as increase local consumption of leather products for the continued stabilisation and enhancement of growth in the industry," he said.

The PS said a government taskforce established to revitalise the industry, had developed a new curriculum in leather science technology, for universities.

He said the new curriculum is expected to upgrade the skills of in-service certificate holders, and offer opportunities for higher learning at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

The course will be offered at the University of Nairobi’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

The PS said the first beneficiaries would be certificate holding technical staff working in the hides, skins and leather products industry.

The new graduates would be expected to provide extension services to pastoralists especially those living in the Arid and Semi Arid Areas (ASAL) in a bid to promote improved animal health and production.