KENYA: Kakuzi Receives Globalg.A.P. Spring Certification for Water Management

UK-based NSF Certification UK has certified Kakuzi's avocado and blueberry plantations. The company's operations in Kenya are now recognized as sustainable because of its commitment to water conservation.

In Kenya, the publicly traded agribusiness company Kakuzi Plc. is certified by NSF Certification UK, an independent subsidiary of NSF, which provides certification services in the food and agricultural sector worldwide. The Globalg.A.P. “Spring” (Sustainable Program for Irrigation and Groundwater Use) certification attests to the fact that the Kenyan avocado and blueberry producer promotes sustainable practices on its farms in Murang’a County with a view to preserving the environment.

Kakuzi’s commitment is to sustainable water management in the face of drought. “In our orchards, we are focusing on water conservation technologies,” says Chris Flowers, managing director of Kakuzi Plc. For avocado farms, the Kenyan company is deploying advanced precision irrigation systems such as micro-sprinklers for watering. The equipment is connected to an elaborate computer system.

One year active certificate

Kakuzi Plc. has achieved Globalg.A.P. “Spring” certification following a series of audits by NSF Certification UK inspectors. Spring incorporates a wide range of criteria to assess sustainable water management on the farm, including legal compliance of water sources and withdrawal rates, monitoring of water consumption, producer impact on sustainable watershed management, best practices in water management, source water protection and measures to demonstrate continuous improvement in water management.

“Spring” was initially developed by Swiss retailer Coop in 2016, in collaboration with Globalg.A.P. Ownership of the standard was officially transferred to Globalg.A.P. in July 2019.

The Globalg.A.P. “Spring” certification awarded to Kakuzi will remain active for one year. This complements the Globalg.A.P. Good Agricultural Practices certification previously achieved by the company. It is a brand of smart agricultural insurance solutions developed by FoodPLUS in Cologne, Germany, with the cooperation of producers, retailers and other stakeholders from across the food industry.

 Inès Magoum | https://www.afrik21.africa/