It has indeed been a wholesome and interesting week in the horticulture industry. On the 9th of May, 2024, the University of Nairobi commissioned the Fresh Produce Aggregation and Distribution Hub at the Upper Kabete Campus, a joint initiative with Mabati Rolling Mills (MRM) Safal Group. This also served as the key highlight of the institution’s submission for the just concluded Nairobi Innovation Week 2024. The University of Nairobi has a successful record of hosting the Nairobi Innovation Week eight years now.
The coordinator of the UoN- MRM Safal Group Partnership Prof. Jane Ambuko, in her speech highlighted that the objective of the Hub is to link smallholder horticultural farmers in rural areas to urban markets and make the produce available conveniently to increase profits and uphold efficiency in post harvest loss control. African indigenous vegetables are of high priority in the project. The project dubbed ‘Enhancing Productivity, Post-Harvest Management and Market Access of African Indigenous Vegetables in Kenya’ was sponsored by USAID’s Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture at University of California, Davis, USA. The project was brought to life through collaborative effort between the University of Nairobi and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO).
“At Mabati Rolling Mills, we are building into the sustainability index. Our pre-governized steel totally guarantees the life component of the African indigenous vegetables. It does not require painting, and therefore does not contaminate food. Moreover, it is fully bolted together, making it possibe to extend and/or relocate”, said Stephen Kiruhi, Sales and Technical Manager Safal Building Systems Limited.
It is such a big leap for MRM Safal group to associate its building technology and expertise with this milestone. Prof. Jane Ambuko and all other stakeholders in attendance expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the Mabati Rolling Mills in sharing in this vision that has now been brought to fruition and henceforth serves as a turning point in the horticulture industry.
