Kenya, Italy strengthen agritech partnership to curb post-harvest losses
Kenya and Italy have strengthened cooperation in agriculture and food processing, with 13 Italian agritech and food processing companies arriving in Nairobi to explore partnerships aimed at reducing post-harvest losses and modernizing Kenya’s agri-food value chain.
The three-day business mission, held under the Africa on the Road Project 2026 – Nairobi Edition, is organised by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) in partnership with Cibustec Exhibition. It brings together Kenyan and Italian stakeholders through business-to-business meetings, technical visits and industry engagements focused on boosting agricultural productivity and value addition.
The collaboration comes at a time when post-harvest losses remain one of the biggest challenges facing African agriculture. According to the ITA, Africa loses between 30 and 50 per cent of its agricultural produce during handling, storage, processing and packaging. In Kenya, the Ministry of Agriculture estimates that 30 to 40 per cent of total crop production is lost annually, costing the country between Sh72 billion and Sh150 billion while threatening food security and smallholder incomes.
Italy’s Ambassador to Kenya, Vincenzo Del Monaco, described Kenya as a strategic destination for Italian investment and technology partnerships, noting that Italian businesses increasingly view Africa as a key market for future growth.
He said the mission reflects growing interest by Italian companies in Kenya’s agriculture, manufacturing and food processing sectors, adding that the recently established Italian Chamber of Commerce in Kenya will further strengthen trade and investment ties between the two countries.
Kenya Association of Manufacturers Chief Executive Officer Tobias Alando said the partnership offers an opportunity to equip Kenyan farmers and manufacturers with modern agricultural and food processing technologies that can significantly reduce post-harvest losses.
He noted that Italy has long been a leading supplier of agricultural machinery and food processing equipment, including bottling, washing and packaging technologies that improve efficiency and strengthen agricultural value chains.
The visiting delegation will also tour farms, fruit processing facilities, dairy factories and a brewery to better understand opportunities within Kenya’s agri-food sector. The initiative forms part of broader Kenya-Italy engagements aimed at promoting technology transfer, investment and sustainable growth across the agricultural value chain.
