The United States has announced a partnership with Kentaste, a Kenyan coconut processor in a project aimed to enhance coconut processing in Kenya.
The US through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Kentaste will jointly invest over $1.6 million in the project to increase the company’s processing capacity by 67% which translates to 50,000 coconuts per day.
In addition, the US government has committed to connecting the company with two major US retailers who will facilitate an increase in Kentatste’s exports to the American market.
Making her remarks, United States Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman highlighted the project’s importance to Kenya noting that it would not only cut down on food wastage but also provide a consistent source of income for the farmers.
Whitman further noted that the project will help to boost trade ties between Kenya and the US as well as combat the challenges of climate change.
“Sustainable growth and international collaboration are key to the prosperity of both our countries,” said Meg Whitman during the announcement.
“Through partnerships like this, we are enhancing trade, transforming lives, and combating food waste and its impacts on climate change.”
Job Creation
According to a communique seen by Emerging Brands, the project will create 90 direct full-time jobs and enroll 1,500 new farmers as suppliers- 30 percent of whom are women.
The project will also eliminate 32,500 liters of food loss and waste over the next two years by increasing processing efficiency in a country that has been plagued by food insecurity in the past.
In a bid to improve coconut production, farmers in the coastal region of Kenya have benefitted from training on modern techniques as testified by Abdalla Juma who is a farmer in Kwale County.
“With Kentaste, I now have consistent earnings and better farming techniques,” the farmer noted. “This partnership is transforming our community.”