New project to boost Kenya's food security through tech

The Farm'Innov project, a cooperation and technical assistance initiative between Kenya and France, has officially launched with a busy schedule of events.

Supported by the French Embassy in Kenya and Somalia, the project is funded by the Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD), which is behind Valorial, a leading entity in responsible agri-food innovation in France.

The project, which will run over the next two years, focuses on boosting innovation and competitiveness in the Kenyan agricultural and agri-food sectors while facilitating knowledge sharing between Kenyan stakeholders and the Valorial ecosystem in Western France.

It has undertaken several key actions, including launching the Acceleration Programme - the first "Farm'Innov Connection" networking event in Nairobi in July - and a delegation visit to France in mid-September.

Farm'Innov also showcased its initiatives at the 4th National Agriculture Summit organised by the Agriculture Sector Network (ASNET) between October 1 and 2 in Nairobi.

"We believe that this collaboration with Kenya under the aegis of France will provide enormous opportunities for players in the French agricultural and agri-food sectors wishing to develop technical and commercial cooperation in the coming years. We intend to mobilise all our network and expertise to this end," said Jean-Luc Perrot, Valorial director.

A key initiative of the Farm'Innov project involves organising exploratory visits to enhance exchanges between the two countries. These visits, which will occur both in France and Kenya, will include site visits to farms, experimental facilities, and factories and participation in trade fairs and workshops.

Valorial plans to conduct three exploratory visits, one every six months starting in September 2024, followed by return visits to Kenya two months later.

The inaugural visit occurred from September 16-20, coinciding with the SPACE show, France's leading annual exhibition for animal farming in Rennes.

A delegation of eight representatives from Kenya's agricultural and livestock sectors took part in the event, including Doris Gatwiri-Meru Central Dairy Co-operative Union Ltd, Bernadette Jeptoo-Kenya Animal Genetic Resources Centre (KAGRC), Pauline Kariuki-Kenya Poultry Farmers Association, Jackson Musee Kathoka-CKL Africa Ltd (on behalf of ASNET), George Gichingiri-Laikipia County, George Muiga-Equity Bank, Timothy Mwanzia-Kenchic Ltd and Ntika Munoru-Pork Producers Association of Kenya .

This mission aimed to showcase innovations in livestock farming, focusing on genetics, nutrition, animal welfare, and high-performance equipment.

Delegates engaged in targeted meetings and networking sessions with around 20 key players in Valorial's community.