By Ng’wono Bw’Otwere
Kenya is setting its sights on a major expansion of agricultural exports to Georgia, building on an impressive 2024 performance that saw the country ship KSh 821 million worth of produce to the Caucasus nation—against just KSh 58 million in imports.
The growing trade surplus points to a significant opportunity for Kenyan farmers as the country strengthens its foothold in emerging markets across Eastern Europe and the Caucasus.
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Fresh-cut flowers continue to dominate Kenya’s exports to Georgia at KSh 777.8 million, followed by tea, fruits, and coffee, with demand steadily rising.
In a high-level meeting in Tbilisi, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Mutahi Kagwe, and Georgia’s Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, David Songulashvili, agreed on a bold agenda to elevate the agriculture partnership.
CS Kagwe emphasized that Kenya’s next phase of export growth must go beyond volume to focus on quality and strategic market access.
“Kenya is pushing to expand access for its top exports to Georgia. With flowers already at KSh 777.8 million, we are looking at exponential growth. Our farmers must benefit from diversified, premium markets,” he said.
To ease the entry of Kenyan products into the Georgian market, the two ministers committed to fast-tracking sanitary and phytosanitary approvals, strengthening food-safety certification systems, and establishing a Kenya–Georgia Joint Working Group to accelerate market access.
These measures are expected to unlock higher-value exports, raise Kenya’s brand visibility, and increase earnings for farmers.
The discussions also broke new ground in addressing Kenya’s fertilizer supply challenges.
With the country heavily reliant on Ukraine, CS Kagwe warned of vulnerabilities that could disrupt farming. Georgia confirmed its readiness to supply fertilizer to Kenya, support local blending and production, and offer more stable and affordable access—moves that could significantly reduce the cost of agricultural inputs and enhance food security.
Kenya also secured major wins in irrigation and water-resource management. Georgia, renowned for its advanced irrigation systems, pledged technical support for upgrading irrigation schemes in arid regions, deploying solar-powered water solutions, and introducing modern greenhouse technologies.
These innovations are expected to boost productivity, enable year-round farming, and strengthen resilience against climate change.
Beyond trade, the two countries agreed to deepen collaboration in digital farming tools, livestock vaccines and genetics, joint research between KALRO and Georgian institutions, and improved traceability through global-standard SPS systems.
The wider cooperation is aimed at modernizing agriculture, reducing post-harvest losses, and enhancing the quality of Kenyan exports.
CS Kagwe also underscored the urgency of diversifying Kenya’s food import sources—particularly wheat, maize, and rice—to avoid overdependence on a few global suppliers.
“Kenya must diversify its food import sources. Alternative partnerships mean security for our people and stability for our farmers,” he said.
To anchor these commitments, Kenya and Georgia agreed to develop a comprehensive Agriculture Memorandum of Understanding covering agro-processing, logistics, warehousing, and agricultural innovation, supported by public–private investment partnerships. Georgian Minister Songulashvili reaffirmed Georgia’s strong commitment to the relationship, describing Kenya as a vital partner in agricultural distribution and market access across the region.
