Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the East African Community (EAC) Horticulture Accelerator targets a $25 million trade surge by 2031

Public and private sectors of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the East African Community (EAC) have joined forces to boost horticulture trade to USD25 million by 2031. Under the COMESA-EAC Horticulture Accelerator (CEHA) which was established in 2022 through public and private sector partnerships, and launched in June 2023, the trading blocs have marshaled plan to fast-track growth of the industry, beginning with avocado, onion and Irish potato value chains. According to CEHA Coordinator, Mr Apollo Owuor, the primary objectives of CEHA are multifaceted, with an overarching goal of achieving a trade value of USD 25 million for fruits and vegetables within the Comesa-EAC region by 2031. “Avocado, onion, and Irish potato can generate a combined 230 million US dollars per year for approximately 450,000 smallholder farmers of a minimum farm size of 0.4 hectare with 60 avocado trees, or 1 hectare for onion farmers,” said Owuor. Furthermore, the initiative ...