Natural Ingredients East & Southern Africa

The programme for East and Southern Africa contributes to sustainable economic development in export value chains in the region through the expansion of exports from these countries in the natural ingredients sector with EUR 12 mln in a sustainable, social responsible way. The programme starts with the focus on - Coffee & Tea: Kenya and Uganda, - Oil Seeds: Uganda and Etniopia. Ethiopia is the third world exporter of sesame seed after India and Sudan and an leading exporter of nous. Sesame seed has the highest value per ton of Ethiopian oilseeds, more than twice the value of Linseed. World sesame and olive oil import prices are the highest: 3 to 4 times the price of almost all other edible oils. The oilseed value chain that has emerged in Uganda now encompasses farmers and a wide range of other stakeholders. The activities of all these stakeholders add up to a viable and competitive process that benefits all participants. The various actors in the agricultural sector realized that they had to get organized, and producer associations such as the Uganda Oilseed Producers and Processors Association (UOSPA) emerged. Through the association, farmers are also able to take advantage of group savings and credit schemes. Kenya is number three tea producer in the world but comes first among ACP countries, with half of all ACP production. Currently 61% of Kenyan tea is sold in bulk and further processed in third countries such as Egypt. Greater local processing, it is argued, would offer wider market opportunities, reduce vulnerability to disruptions on any individual markets, and would in addition serve to boost overall export revenues.