Kenya will scale up green manufacturing by leveraging the country’s vast renewable energy potential and emerging technologies in a bid to boost exports and generate new jobs, senior officials have said.

Salim Mvurya (pictured), cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, said the government has enacted policies and legislation to facilitate a shift to zero-carbon manufacturing, which promises climate resilience and inclusive growth.

“We are pushing toward a green industrial development pathway that also provides a space for local industries to adopt technological advancements such as artificial intelligence,” Mvurya said in Nairobi during the launch of the seventh edition of Changamka (literally meaning happiness in Swahili) Kenya Shopping Festival.

Showcase diversity

The annual event, running concurrently with the second Kenya Industrialisation Conference, aims to showcase the diversity, quality and uniqueness of locally manufactured products to domestic and overseas clients.

Over 200 exhibitors drawn from textile and apparel sectors, home furnishing, food and beverage, agricultural machinery and building materials are participating in the five-day event that will also feature panel discussions and business networking.

Kenya is part of the Africa Green Industrialisation Initiative launched by President William Ruto at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

Mvurya said that through this initiative, the East African nation aims to unlock investments in green manufacturing, boost climate action, and ensure local industries are resilient and competitive.

He added that a national industrial master plan has been aligned with the quest to reduce carbon footprint and minimise pollution and ecosystem degradation across the supply chains.

Juma Mukhwana, principal secretary in the same ministry, said the government intends to exploit opportunities provided by the expanding African and global markets by producing goods in an ecologically friendly manner.

According to the PS, fiscal and regulatory incentives have accelerated the transition to green manufacturing, inching the country closer to meeting the net-zero targets.

Mukhwana stressed that increased access to green energy including solar, wind and geothermal will be pivotal in raising the contribution of the manufacturing sector to the country’s gross domestic product from the current 7.6 per cent to 15 per cent by 2027.

Tobias Alando, acting chief executive officer of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, said that a predictable regulatory environment, affordable cost of power from renewable sources and enhanced market linkages will spur green manufacturing countrywide.