Kenya farmers bet on branding to shore up earnings

By NICHOLAS WAITATHU

Farmers and traders stand to earn more as government intensify efforts to legalise branding of local exports.

For long local commodities destined for export markets are shipped in raw form and thus outsmarted by value added products from the developed countries.

For example, more than 95 per cent of Kenya coffee is exported as raw beans without any identity in spite of its unique aspect of high quality and aroma. 

To overcome this, Industrialisation and Enterprise Development Ministry and Kenya Industrial Property Institute (Kipi) has developed the Geographical Indication (GI) Bill 2012, geared towards providing a legal framework to protect Kenyan products such as tea, coffee, and handcraft by attributing them a sign of origin. 

The bill, which has been reviewed and awaiting presentation to parliament, will assist in distinguishing products in the market place by marketing distinctive and quality goods which can command a premium price.  Kipi Managing Director Henry Mutai says marketing origin-linked products creates a clear differentiation and identification for the consumer.

Premium product

“One of the main advantages of the GI system – in comparison with other systems, such as trademarks – is that it links the differentiated and premium product to a delimited area and the traditional producers of that product,” he said.

Once adopted, the branding strategy will make it easy to market origin-specific Kenyan exports such as Kericho tea, Mt Kenya coffee, Maasai jewellery, and Kisii soapstone carvings. Mutai observed that tea and coffee farmers are expected to earn more once the bill that seeks to trademark the products as uniquely Kenyan becomes law.

Coffee Board of Kenya four years ago initiated a Coffee Kenya Brand as a step forward in enhancing the visibility of the beans in international market.