The European Commission (EC) has moved to bolster Kenya’s horticultural capacity ahead of the opening of the country’s first world class testing operation over the next two years.
The Horticultural Produce Phyto-sanitary Certification and Quality Assurance (HORTICAP) Project, which will be implemented by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service’s (KEPHIS), is worth 350 million Kenya Shillings (£3.1 million) and is expected to be ready by the end of 2010 after a three-year operation.
Agriculture minister William Ruto will preside over the project’s construction after a ground-breaking ceremony which will also be attended by the EC’s head of delegation, Eric van der Linden.
KEPHIS’ managing director Chagema Kedera, said: “This project will improve Kephis’ physical and technical capacity and facilitate easy access of Kenyan horticultural produce to the EU markets once completed.”
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