East Africa’s horticulture sector to convene in Nairobi to address trade, logistics barriers as regional council is launched

The horticulture sector across Eastern Africa is set to take a significant step towards stronger regional coordination as industry leaders, government representatives, private-sector actors and development partners converge in Nairobi for a two-day Regional Public-Private Dialogue on Horticultural Logistics and Trade Facilitation.

The dialogue, scheduled for 22–23 September 2026 in Nairobi, will bring together stakeholders from across the horticulture value chain to examine some of the persistent challenges affecting the movement of horticultural products from farms to domestic, regional and international markets.

The event will also mark the official launch of the Horticulture Council of Eastern Africa (HoCEA), a regional, private-sector-led platform established to strengthen coordination, advocacy, market access and institutional engagement within the horticulture sector.

HoCEA is working with national horticulture associations across the region, with support from TradeMark Africa (TMA).

The Council is expected to provide a stronger regional voice for the sector and create a platform through which industry players can collectively engage policymakers and other stakeholders on issues that affect horticulture competitiveness.

A sector with significant economic potential but persistent bottlenecks Horticulture is an important contributor to economic development across Eastern Africa, supporting employment, export earnings, food systems and private-sector growth.

However, producers and exporters continue to contend with a range of trade and logistics challenges that can increase costs, create delays and reduce the competitiveness of the region’s produce in both regional and international markets.

“These challenges include high freight costs, inadequate cold-chain infrastructure, weak firstmile aggregation systems, fragmented digital trade processes, delays at ports and borders, inconsistent sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and certification procedures, and limited utilisation of opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),” say Dr. Jacqueline Mkindi, HoCEA interim chair and Chief Executive Officer, TAHA.

The impact extends beyond large exporters.

Inefficient systems can limit opportunities for smallholder farmers, women, youth, small and medium-sized enterprises, logistics providers and national horticulture associations, underscoring the need for coordinated action across the public and private sectors.

Four priority areas for regional dialogue

The two-day dialogue will provide a structured platform for stakeholders to validate the key constraints facing the sector and identify practical actions that can improve horticultural trade and logistics across the region.

Discussions will be organised around four priority themes:

1. Trade logistics and cold-chain systems Stakeholders will examine the infrastructure, transport and cold-chain requirements needed to move time-sensitive horticultural products efficiently and competitively from production areas to markets.

2. Digital trade and smart corridors

The dialogue will explore how digital systems and smart-corridor approaches can reduce transaction costs, improve the flow of information and facilitate more efficient cross-border trade.

3. SPS measures and non-tariff barriers

Participants will examine how sanitary and phytosanitary requirements, certification processes and other non-tariff barriers affect horticultural trade, with a focus on improving efficiency while maintaining the standards required to protect consumers, plants and markets.

4. AfCFTA market access and implementation

With the African Continental Free Trade Area creating opportunities for increased intraAfrican trade, stakeholders will consider how the horticulture sector can better position itself to access and compete in African markets.

From identifying challenges to agreeing on action

The dialogue is designed to go beyond identifying the problems facing the sector. The first day will focus on technical discussions and validation of priority constraints, including identifying potential investments, interventions and responsible actors. The second day will seek to translate these priorities into policy and investment commitments and define practical follow-up actions.

The discussions are expected to contribute to a Nairobi Communiqué, setting out priority actions, responsible institutions and proposed timelines for follow-up. The event will subsequently culminate in the formal launch of HoCEA and discussions on its immediate priorities and the next 90 days of action.

“The process is intended to strengthen collaboration between government, industry and regional institutions and create clearer pathways for addressing challenges that cannot be resolved by individual businesses or countries acting alone,” Dr Mkindi expounds.

A stronger regional voice for horticulture

The establishment of HoCEA comes at a time when the horticulture sector is navigating an increasingly complex trading environment, with producers and exporters required to remain competitive while responding to changing market requirements, logistics pressures and evolving trade opportunities.

As a private-sector-led regional platform, HoCEA seeks to bring together national horticulture associations and sector stakeholders to strengthen collective advocacy and engagement on issues affecting the industry’s growth.

Its launch is expected to position the Council as a regional voice for horticulture in Eastern Africa, while providing a platform for sustained engagement between industry, governments, regional bodies and other institutions.

For TradeMark Africa, supporting more efficient and inclusive trade systems is central to its broader work to grow intra-African trade, increase Africa’s participation in global trade and make trade more pro-poor and environmentally sustainable.

TMA works with governments, regional and continental organisations, the private sector and civil society to address trade barriers through improved policy, infrastructure, standards and digital innovation.

Regional collaboration at the centre

The dialogue will bring together government institutions, private-sector actors, regional bodies, development partners, logistics providers, technology firms and horticulture associations, creating an opportunity for different parts of the value chain to engage around shared challenges and practical solutions.

The organisers emphasise that the objective is not simply to convene stakeholders, but to strengthen the connection between dialogue, decision-making and follow-through.

For a sector whose products often depend on speed, predictable logistics and access to reliable markets, improvements in trade facilitation can have implications across the value chain ranging from producers and aggregators to exporters, logistics companies and consumers.

The Nairobi dialogue therefore provides an opportunity for Eastern Africa’s horticulture sector to collectively ask a fundamental question: what needs to change in the systems that move horticultural products to market, and how can governments and the private sector work together to make those changes happen?

The discussions in Nairobi will help define the priorities, responsibilities and next steps needed to move that conversation forward.