Posted on June, 13, 2024 at 09:07 am
Thirteen Italian farm machinery firms are scouting for business in Kenya as they look to invest in the Kenyan agricultural sector through their rich mechanical expertise.
They have been at the Agri Tech Expo since Wednesday at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) courtesy of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA). It will end tomorrow.
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 in 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,
Agriculture contributes approximately 33 per cent of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) employing 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 the right time when the government plans to continue growing its investment in agriculture.
“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 Eng. Simiyu Wangete from the Ministry of Agriculture.
FederUnacoma is an umbrella organization representing seven industrial associations that aim to promote mechanization and technological innovation to meet the needs of the sector.
Alpego, a third-generation company, is also a big player in agricultural mechanisation and the key sales they aim to make is combined seed drill.
The seed drill is touted as a time saver since it can be used in tilling, seeding and fertilising.
“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, Italian Trade Agency director, while speaking at Italian Embassy in Kenya.
Source: The Standard