Natural Benefits

　　Chinese demand for organic foods couldsoon bring about a healthy increase in exports fromEast Africa. This is in part because Chinese culturehas always traditionally favored eating food madefrom fresh ingredients. In addition, the advent ofgenetically modified organisms (GMOs) has madeconsumers more concerned about what they areeating.

　　The Kenya Organic Agriculture Network (KOAN),the national coordinating body for organic agriculturalactivities in Kenya, says the country’s volumeof trade with China is estimated at about $3 billion,

　　with the rest of East Africa standing at about $7 billion. But the full potential of China’s demand fororganic food amounts to a massive $105 billion, accordingto the United Nations Conference on Tradeand Development.

　　Pesticide free

　　KOAN Spokesperson Wanjiru Kamau says that thehealth benefits of eating organically grown foodproducts are numerous. They are healthier thanGMOs as little or no toxic pesticides are used duringcultivation, and organic growing methods increasethe overall nutritional value of produce.

　　“This form of agriculture combines traditionalinnovation and science to benefit the farmer,” saidKamau.

　　“Any kind of food or crop can be grownorganically. Food is grown under naturallyoccurring biological processes with the combinationof modern science. Natural pesticidesand fertilizers are frequently used in organicagriculture. Conventional agriculture dependsheavily on carbon fertilizers. Crop rotationand green manures are the major methodsof organic farming,” Kamau explained. Thisis one of the major reasons why organicmatter easily breaks down and makesthe soil very fertile. Organic farmingalso relies more on natural processesas a result.

　　According to Kamau, thereareabout 223,000 hectares across thefive East African Community (EAC)members of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda,Rwanda and Burundi that are beingused to cultivate organic produce. However, problemsrelating to land tenure and ownership mayretard the growth of this sector in the EAC.

　　Domestic conditions

　　According to Kamau, organic agriculturehas thepotential to replace conventional agriculture as globaldemand for such foods increases. The domesticorganic produce market in East Africa is currentlyvalued at about $13 billion, with the region’s combinedGDP reaching almost $100 billion, accordingto the United Nations Conference on Trade andDevelopment.

　　Kenyan farmers have not yet begun togrowgenetically modified crops due to strongopposition from anti-GMO lobby groups,but the nation already has a law pendingthat controls the cultivation of GMOs. Thishas more people turning to organic agriculturefor both food consumption and for commercialgain. Uganda and Tanzania are bothcurrently following in Kenya’s footstepsand working on effective bio-safetylaws that will allow the growing of GMOfoods.

　　Later this year, the Kenyan Ministryof Agriculture will launch guidelines forthe sale and export of organic foods.

　　The initiative will promote the consumptionof the foods and create awarenesson the health importance of the foods.

　　“That is why we need to train as manyfarmers aspossible and boost their incomes. This comes at atime when the country is set to label GMO and non-GMO products in supermarkets as required by theBiosafety Act of 2010,” said Kamau. In practice, foodproducts have not yet been labeled.

　　KOAN reports that the organic agriculture sectorcurrently employs over 4 million people in East Africa,both directly, through cultivation, and indirectly,through exporters and people working in supermarketsand restaurants.

　　“There are many untapped opportunities in EastAfrica, with more than 200,000 farmers trainedevery year. Organic agriculture is growing by morethan 10 percent every year,” said Kamau, adding thatthere is a lot of potential for interregional trade aswell.

　　Chinese demand

　　Organic food consumption has increased worldwide,as people see healthy eating as a way to helpcombat disease. Some of the biggest global marketsfor organic produce are China, United Kingdom,Denmark and North America.

　　The demand from China for organic foodsisgrowing by 14 percent every year, according to theKenya Bureau of Statistics. This comes at a timewhen China is making aneffort to increase trade withAfrica and investing heavilyon the continent. Accordingto medical experts,this is paying off for Africaas health trends in Chinahave spurred an increase inEast Africa’s organic foodexports.

　　“Many people in Chinaarevery careful about what theyeat. It has been part of theirculture over the centuries. Ifyou have to practice martialarts, you need a good dietfor the brain and body,” saidNairobi-based medical doctorEvan Abwao, who makesfrequent visits to China.

　　“Many people want tolose weight these days, andthat is very important amongthe Chinese people, especiallyyoung women whowish to get married,” said Mutiso Mutinda, an organicfood exporter to China, who also sells his products inEast Africa. Mutinda said that, based on a surveyhe conducted last year, the highest demand for hisproducts comes from women under the age of 25.

　　Some of the major East African organic foodexports to China include tomatoes, kale, cabbage,mangoes, bananas, peas, sorghum, avocados,peppers and pineapples. Horticultural vegetables,oil from avocado extraction, organic coconut oil,organic tea, and organic macadamia nuts and coffeeare examples of other products grown and producedin East Africa.

　　Analysts like leading economists GermanoMwabu, who lectures at the University of Nairobi, saythat the consumption of other organic crops mayincrease as Chinese come to expect more variety intheir diet and change their culture and lifestyles.

　　Some organic crops, according to the UnitedNations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in2011, are also used in China to manufacture medicinaldrugs that treat diseases such as liver cancer,diabetes and several other lifestyle-related diseases.

　　“Some crops, such as sorghum andmaize, havecompounds that can be used to make drugs,” Abwaoexplained. CA

　　Organic foods grown in East Africa are creating jobs and supplying the global market By Gitonga Njeru