NAIROBI, Kenya — Horticulture stakeholders from across Eastern Africa will converge in Nairobi next week to address persistent trade and logistics challenges affecting the movement of fresh produce from farms to regional and international markets.
The two-day Regional Public-Private Dialogue on Horticultural Logistics and Trade Facilitation, scheduled for September 22–23, 2026, will bring together government officials, industry leaders, private-sector players, development partners, logistics companies, technology firms and national horticulture associations.
The meeting will also mark the official launch of the Horticulture Council of Eastern Africa (HoCEA), a private-sector-led regional platform seeking to strengthen coordination, advocacy and market access for the horticulture industry.
HoCEA is working with national horticulture associations across Eastern Africa with support from TradeMark Africa (TMA).
The council is expected to give the sector a stronger regional voice and provide a platform for industry players to engage governments and regional institutions on policies and challenges affecting horticultural trade.
High costs and delays threaten competitiveness
Eastern Africa’s horticulture industry plays an important role in employment, export earnings, food security and private-sector development. However, producers and exporters continue to face bottlenecks that raise operating costs and affect the competitiveness of fresh produce.
Among the challenges identified are high freight costs, inadequate cold-chain infrastructure, weak first-mile aggregation systems, fragmented digital trade processes and delays at ports and border points.
The sector also faces inconsistent sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and certification procedures, as well as limited utilisation of opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Dr Jacqueline Mkindi, interim chair of HoCEA and chief executive officer of the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA), said the challenges require coordinated intervention across countries and sectors.
The impact, she noted, goes beyond major exporters to smallholder farmers, women and youth, small and medium-sized enterprises, logistics providers and national horticulture associations.
Four areas to dominate Nairobi talks
The dialogue will focus on four priority areas identified as critical to improving horticultural trade across the region.
The first is trade logistics and cold-chain systems, with stakeholders expected to examine transport and infrastructure gaps affecting the movement of time-sensitive produce.
The second is digital trade and smart corridors, where participants will explore how digital systems can reduce transaction costs, improve information sharing and make cross-border trade more efficient.
The third area is SPS measures and non-tariff barriers. Stakeholders will discuss certification requirements and other trade barriers while seeking ways to improve efficiency without compromising consumer, plant and market protection.
The fourth focus will be AfCFTA market access and implementation, with participants examining how the horticulture industry can take greater advantage of expanding intra-African trade opportunities.
Nairobi dialogue to produce action plan
Organisers say the meeting is intended to move beyond identifying challenges and towards concrete interventions.
The first day will focus on technical discussions, validation of priority constraints and identification of potential investments, interventions and responsible actors.
The second day will seek to translate the identified priorities into policy and investment commitments, alongside practical follow-up actions.
The discussions are expected to feed into a Nairobi Communiqué outlining priority actions, responsible institutions and proposed timelines.
The event will then culminate in the formal launch of HoCEA and discussions on the council’s immediate priorities and its first 90 days of action.
According to Mkindi, the process is intended to strengthen cooperation between governments, industry and regional institutions on challenges that cannot be effectively addressed by individual companies or countries.
HoCEA seeks stronger regional voice
The launch of HoCEA comes as horticulture businesses across the region navigate rising logistics pressures, changing market requirements and new opportunities for African trade.
As a private-sector-led platform, the council aims to bring national horticulture associations and other stakeholders together to coordinate advocacy and engagement on issues affecting the sector’s growth.
TradeMark Africa’s support is part of its broader focus on improving trade systems, increasing intra-African trade and addressing barriers through policy reforms, infrastructure development, standards and digital innovation.
The Nairobi meeting will therefore provide an opportunity for governments and industry to establish shared priorities and determine who should take responsibility for implementing them.
For a sector dealing in highly perishable products, the organisers say improvements in logistics, border procedures, digital systems and market access could have implications throughout the value chain—from farmers and aggregators to exporters, transporters and consumers.
