Journal of Food Processing & Technology

The current status of small and medium enterprises in food manufacturing in Kenya

International Conference on Food Production and Preservation

October 17-18, 2018 Ottawa, Canada

Jasper K Imungi

University of Nairobi, Kenya

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Food Process Technol

Abstract:

Until the last decade, food manufacturing in Kenya has been mainly in the hands of the multinational companies based in the developing countries of Europe and North America. The main products manufactured products have mainly been the conventional products in the countries of origin of the industries and have involved products from cereals (milled and baked products) meat and meat products, milk and milk products, and fruits and vegetable products (particularly fruit juices and beverages, and canned products). The local market is, however rapidly expanding due to the rapid urbanization and some slow increase in the demand of the manufactured products in the rural areas Kenya???s development agenda, Vision 2030 advocates that the Country shall be industrialized by the year 2030. Vision 20/30 is based on four pillars, two of them ???Food and Nutritional Security??? a ???Manufacturing???. Since Kenya is an agricultural country, the manufacturing sub-sector is to be spearheaded by agricultural manufacturing, The Government has initiated several incentives to attract the locals particularly women and youth to participate in the sector. Due to this, micro-, small and medium enterprises have recently been initiated in both urban and rural areas and process a diversity of products including cereals and legume mixes, dairy products, meat slaughter, and fruits and vegetable products. The growth of these industries, however, seems to be slow, and is characterized by lack of innovation, and faced by numerous challenges. This paper is therefore intended to evaluate the current status of the micro- small and medium enterprises in Kenya by examining the environments in which they are established and identification of the constraints and challenges that cause their growth.

Biography :

E-mail: imungijk@yahoo.com