Avocados./FILE
Kenya has launched a national digital traceability platform aimed at improving compliance with international food safety standards.
The system will also help in protecting the lucrative horticulture export market from costly interceptions in key destinations such as the European Union.
The National Horticulture Traceability System (NHTS), developed by the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), will enable fresh produce to be tracked from individual farms through the supply chain to export markets.
The horticulture sector is one of Kenya's leading foreign exchange earners, contributing about 34 percent of the country's agricultural gross domestic product. According to AFA, horticultural exports generated Sh143.7 billion in revenue in 2025.
Speaking during the launch, AFA Board Chairman Cornelly Serem said the system would improve accountability and make it easier to identify the source of produce when export consignments are intercepted because of pest infestations or excessive pesticide residues.
"Whenever there was an interception, it was difficult for our country to know where the crop came from," Serem said.
He noted that the lack of traceability often affected entire groups of farmers because regulators could not easily identify the source of non-compliant produce. The new system is expected to allow authorities and exporters to trace produce back to specific farms and production blocks.
The platform also seeks to address concerns over produce sourced from unregistered farms and informal markets.
According to Christine Chesaro, Director of the Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD), some exporters have in the past exported volumes that exceeded the production capacity of their registered farms, raising concerns about the origin and compliance status of the additional produce.
"The situation we had before was that an exporter would map out a certified farm capable of producing 10 tonnes of vegetables, but their final export returns would show they shipped 20 tonnes," Chesaro said. "They were buying the rest from informal markets where there was limited information on production practices and chemical use."
Under the new system, farms will be digitally mapped and registered using geolocation technology. Export volumes will then be compared against the estimated production capacity of registered farms, helping authorities identify inconsistencies in supply records.
AFA Acting Director General Calistus Kundu said the platform captures information throughout the production cycle, including planting dates, crop varieties, pesticide applications, harvesting activities and movement of produce through the supply chain.
"When a farmer registers a plot, they record the planting date, crop variety and field practices, including spraying, fertilisation, watering and harvesting," Kundu said. "The system tracks the produce from the farm to the packhouse and ultimately to the market."
Industry players welcomed the initiative but cautioned that its implementation should be gradual to ensure farmers and exporters can adapt to the new requirements.
Wanjohi Mukuria, chairman of the Avocado Aggregators Association of Kenya, said the industry fully supports traceability but warned that a rushed rollout could create challenges for farmers and disrupt trade.
"We believe implementation should be done in phases. If we take a gradual approach, it will succeed. If it is introduced all at once, it could create challenges," he said.
Mukuria pointed out the need for extensive training across the value chain, including farmers, exporters and marketing agents, to ensure everyone understands their responsibilities under the new system.
He added that while the platform could enhance Kenya's reputation in international markets, requirements such as providing land ownership and identification documents may prove challenging for some farmers.
Juliana Tele, Export Manager at Karen Roses, said the system would improve accountability while helping address produce theft and reducing paperwork for exporters.
"In the past, obtaining permits involved a lot of paperwork and expense. Now exporters will be able to complete the process from their offices and receive approvals electronically," she said.
Tele noted that the paperless system would lower operational costs and enable buyers abroad to trace products back to their source through barcode technology. She also urged the government to strengthen security measures to curb rising avocado theft in production areas.
According to AFA, the platform will initially be rolled out across the export horticulture sector before being expanded to domestic markets and eventually other agricultural value chains, including maize, wheat, beans, macadamia and coconuts.
