Italian agriculture machinery firms to scout for business in Nairobi

Twelve Italian farm machinery companies who are scouting for business in Kenya met with officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KARLO).

The meeting took place in Naivasha on Wednesday, June 12, and saw them engage the officials for investment opportunities in the Kenyan agricultural sector through their rich mechanical expertise.

"Mechanisation remains our key priority to support the government achieve their goal of food security. At the moment we are trying to scale up far equipment and machineries that are appropriate to the right crop of framers and that are affordable," said Engineer Simiyu Wangete from the Ministry of Agriculture.

The companies will be scouting for investment opportunities to provide their machinery and expertise in the sector at affordable rates.

"Probably now with the help of Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KARLO) we can start to work together to find solutions to the machinery and equipment needs of Kenyan farmers," said Giuseppe Manenti, ITA Director.

The companies are here in Kenya courtesy of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) and have been at the Agri Tech Africa Expo which is currently taking place at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

They are under a consortium FederUnacoma, which represents seven industrial associations aiming to promote mechanization and technological innovation to meet the needs of the sector.

The Expo will end on Friday and it focuses on the incorporation of technology in farming to maximise profits and reduce losses.

ITA is a governmental agency that supports the business development of our companies abroad and promotes the attraction of foreign investment in Italy.

With a motivated and modern organisation and a widespread network of overseas offices, ITA provides information, assistance, consulting, promotion and training to Italian small and medium-sized businesses.

Using the most modern multi-channel promotion and communication tools, it acts to assert the excellence of Made in Italy all over the world.

The agency supports the business development of Italy's companies abroad and seeks to attract foreign investments in the country.

The firms will include Silesfor DP, Sfoggia, Ocmis Irrigazione, Nardi-Harvesting, Murator, Mecmar, Mascar and Irriland. Others are Contro Fratelli, BCS Group, Alpego, ADR and FederUnacoma.

Italy is interested in Kenya's Agriculture since it contributes approximately 33 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs more than 40 per cent of the total population.

In the rural areas people directly benefiting from agriculture are 70 per cent of the total population.

However, Kenya has found herself often relying on her neighbours like Uganda for maize which is considered a staple food as well as other types of food.
The expo comes at a time when the government plans to continue growing its investment in agriculture.