［Kenya］ The kick-off seminar for the new phase of AFICAT was held (May 30, 2024)
2025.03.13
On Thursday, May 30, 2024, the kick-off seminar for the new phase of AFICAT in Kenya was held at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD). The seminar was attended by government agencies, including the MoALD officers, industry associations from the private sector such as the Agriculture Sector Network (ASNET), local distributors handling products of Japanese companies, universities, financial institutions, JICA's rice project, and so on.
The seminar began with the introduction of the newly established "AFICAT Committee," which includes members from the Agricultural Engineering Service of the MoALD and ASNET as representatives of the public and private sectors, respectively. The AFICAT Committee is expected to implement various AFICAT activities in Kenya, gather information, and serve as a contact point for inquiries about Japanese technologies from Kenyan stakeholders. Following this, the work plan of the AFICAT Committee for the new phase, which will continue until February 2026, was presented. Participants related to Japanese companies appealed the Japanese technologies and products they handle to the other participants.
During the open discussion session, while welcoming the start of the new phase of AFICAT, the low presence of Japanese companies in Kenya was pointed out as a challenge. Suggestions included that, like companies from Europe, the US, and other Asian countries, Japanese companies need to invest actively in marketing activities to make their products more "visible" in the Kenyan market, which entails traveling to Kenya and participating in local exhibitions. Additionally, the urgent need to establish an after-sales service system, including the supply of spare parts, was highlighted.
These suggestions indicate the high expectations and serious commitment of Kenyan stakeholders towards Japanese technologies and AFICAT. JICA and the AFICAT Japanese Team will continue to work on building and enhancing a system that is easy for Japanese companies to enter and utilize AFICAT support, based on the various recommendations from the seminar participants and Kenyan AFICAT Committee.
Mr. Titus, a local consultant to AFICAT, explained the work plan of the AFICAT Committee.
The seminar was held in the building of MoALD
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