Kenya’s agricultural sector is poised for a major breakthrough in accessing the United States market following a successful visit to Nairobi by the U.S. Africa Trade Desk (USATD) delegation.
The team was formally received by the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Mutahi Kagwe, marking a key milestone in efforts to boost Kenya’s export footprint under government’s agricultural transformation agenda.
The high-level delegation, led by Gavin van der Burgh (CEO), Bill Fanjoy (Vice President, Trade Programs), Jeanah Lacey (Director, Special Projects), Frances Fraser (Director, Continental Services), and Shane Townsend, held extensive discussions with government agencies and leading private-sector players in key export industries including floriculture, coffee, macadamia, grains, animal feed, and apparel.
Speaking during the engagements, CS Kagwe underscored the government’s commitment to fostering a private-sector-driven approach and strengthening compliance with global trade standards.
“We are going as private-sector as possible, supporting our producers to meet global demands through better pest control, post-harvest handling, and value addition. Kenya is ready, and we want this partnership to transform livelihoods for our farmers,” said Kagwe.
The CS further noted that the Ministry will continue investing in traceability, compliance, and market-readiness systems to expand export opportunities under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
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The USATD delegation announced that Kenya’s fresh-cut flowers, coffee, macadamia nuts, and tea (in a second phase) will be among the priority products for entry into major U.S. retail chains, including Walmart.
This development follows CS Kagwe’s visit to the U.S. in September, during which he secured commitments to broaden the import window for Kenyan agricultural products.
Among the notable outcomes is Nouvelle Blooms Ltd, a Nairobi-based exporter headquartered at JKIA, which has signed agreements to export over four million stems of premium Kenyan roses per month to the U.S. market. The firm will also supply specialty Kenyan coffee directly to American buyers.
Nouvelle Blooms coordinated the floriculture and coffee field visits in Naivasha and Nairobi, where U.S. officials toured major farms, flower consolidation centers, the Coffee Directorate, Nairobi Coffee Exchange, quality control laboratories, and export logistics facilities.
In the macadamia value chain, exporters such as Macnut Consortium showcased their readiness to meet U.S. demand. The delegation confirmed that macadamia products will be included in the first phase of Kenyan exports to American retail outlets.
Beyond export growth, the partnership will also enable Kenya to benefit from strategic imports to support local manufacturing and food security. These include cotton for the apparel and textile sector, and raw materials for livestock feed production, aimed at reducing production costs and stabilizing supplies across the dairy, poultry, and livestock industries.
With clear frameworks now being established for compliance, logistics, and trade linkages, both governments hailed the visit as a turning point in unlocking Kenya’s full agricultural export potential.
By Obegi Malack
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