To enhance the national, regional, and global competitiveness of the horticulture sector in the COMESA EAC Horticulture Accelerator (CEHA) target countries of Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda, CEHA has unveiled its Cluster Development Programme (CDP). The cluster program is crucial in enhancing the capacities of value chain actors in the avocado, onion, and Irish potato sectors. The clusters will provide growth and development opportunities to stakeholders, including farmers/producers, traders, aggregators, agribusiness enterprises, logistic players, retailers, processors, exporters, and other public and private operators.

To fast-track the process of establishing and strengthening horticultural production clusters in the areas of operation, CEHA recently onboarded consultants to coordinate the process of establishing clusters in close partnership with the respective CEHA National Chapters. This will be achieved through site validation, business case development, and stakeholder capacity building. The key highlights of crucial outcomes to strengthen the horticulture sector in the CEHA target countries will include;

  • Harmonized cluster operations with the CEHA Regional Strategy and Action Plan.
  • Built capacity of MSMEs, cooperatives, and producer groups on Good Agriculture Practices, post-harvest handling, and market access
  • Strengthened capacity of 300+ value chain actors.
  • Over 400 value chain actors trained.
  • Developed investment cases for PPPs in aggregation, processing, and logistics.
  • Trainings for smallholders, SMEs, and cooperatives undertaken.

Horticulture cluster is a regional/geographical concentration of targeted horticulture crops, offering scope for specialization in pre-production, production, post-harvest management, logistics, marketing, and branding.

Currently valued at USD 4 billion, to double or triple in the next 10 years, the Bill Foundation-funded project program was created in 2022 through public and private sector partners to better coordinate policy, value chain development programs, financing, research, and development. The project aims to accelerate the growth of the fruit and vegetable subsector of the COMESA and EAC regions.

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