...Introduction Nearly 80% of the cut flowers we buy in the UK are imported from the Netherlands, Colombia and Kenya. The world's largest flower-farming nations are the Netherlands, Colombia, Kenya and Israel and they are main exporters to the UK. For years, the flower industry suffers from social and environmental problems. Environmental issues A lot of people do not concern so much about what pesticides are used to grow flowers. According to a Guardian report (Siegle, 2012), 12 different pesticides are used to help flowers grow in Columbia. Furthermore, some flower farmers use toxic pesticides which are banned in industrialized nations in Ethiopia. Moreover, the issues over the carbon foot print have been increased as the use of air-freighted flowers increased (Siegle, 2006). With issues over pesticides and carbon foot print, water shortage, impacts of greenhouses on landscape, and packaging issues were also being associated with the cut flower industry. Social issues Besides the environmental problems, social issues such as low wages, health and safety issues and labour rights are also being associated with the cut flower industry. In Colombia, flower farmers are exposed to systematic labour abuses and toxic chemicals exposure remains an important concern among farmers. Health issues persist as farmers are forced to work double shifts to meet consumers’ demand with depressing labor rights. The flower industry is comprised of between 65-75 percent of women workers, women’s...
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...produced in Kenya, will be exported to Germany. But the journey until the roses end up in a discounter or in a flower shop is very hard and long. In the last few years, the flower industry has extremely increased and it actually got bigger than the music industry. The world’s largest exporter of roses is called Sai Ramakrishna Karuturi and is from India. He owns land eight times the size of Mumbai. Four years ago he additionally bought the biggest rose farm of the world with 4500 workers, 160 ha land and 650 million roses, that leave the farm every year. He has a huge power in the flower trade and plays actually a big role in it. He makes a turnover of 25 Million euros every year and he managed to get a 9 percent market share in Europe in the last few years. Customers that are very important for him are Edeka and Aldi. Discounters want goods that are cheap, fast and durable at once. To fulfill the discounter’s requirements, the African workers ship only the rose buds and not the blooming flower abroad. That makes sure that the roses are durable for a longer time. Mr. Karuturi sells 55 % of the output through the auction in the Netherlands and the rest through wholesalers and retailers. Also 100 % of the African rose production is exported to Europe. Even though Africa and Latin America export huge amounts of cut flowers, the Netherlands is the biggest export country. Exports from the Netherlands to Germany make a significant part of the world cut flower trade respectively...
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...international flower market. Most of Europe’s roses are imported from East Africa nations. The United States Aid program (USAID) has declared a plan to expand the flower exports in Africa. However, given the potential disadvantages related to economic, social and environmental sustainability, criticisms believe that the USAID should take a careful consideration about this proposal, before it implemented. Rationale Proponents of the proposal point out that export expansion in the flower industry has the real capacity to deliver both economic and social benefits to East African nations and their nationals. Olpacle (2009) cites the case in Kenya that the flower industry has contributed to $300 million for its foreign exchange earnings. Meanwhile, the flower farms in Kenya has created 40,000 job opportunities for local workers. In terms of environmental impacts, Whelau (2009) points to that compared with a Dutch hothouse, raising equivalent number of roses in Kenya produced much less amount of CO2. Objections Opponents of the proposal argue that expanding flower exports in East Africa may exacerbate human rights abuse and create community dependence on the flower industry. Research revealed that cut flower workers are often forced to endure unfair wages, Sh 70 a day for 8 to 12-hour workday, crowed housing and dangerous working conditions (Majtouyi, 2002). Furthermore, Bloomfield (2006) points to the potential risks of increasing community dependence on the flower industry ...
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...FLOWER MARKETING IN BANGLADESH 1. Introduction In these days a number of commodities are getting faster market response with the help of marketing activities. One wonderful and beautiful category, which is full of fragrance, is also moving towards a strong branding and marketing initiative. This natural category is the category of flowers. Flower is the symbol of beauty and serenity. It is the only entity which enhances beauties of anyplace where used. Many songs, poetries and literatures have been written on the dedication of flower. The magnificent creation of god, flower can purify the heart of human being and encourage to be simple and calm like nature. Flowers have been regarded as an embodiment of human taste and aesthetics. This unique and unparalleled nature of flowers has given rise to its commercial transaction all over the world. Bangladesh is not far behind in promoting this agricultural product. Bangladesh is a country of cultural heritage. Flower is interrelated with this culture. People purchase flower in various occasion. With the rising demand of flower cultivation is increasing in this country. Thus, Bangladesh has ventured to enter this growing export market. Today the trade of flowers is a promising trade and a number of florists have sprung up who sell flowers. No one could think of exporting Bangladeshi flowers even a few years ago. But this is a reality today and prosperous bonanza for tomorrow. In view of marketing prospect of flowers, a vast agricultural...
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...Edward George Head of Soft Commodities Research, Ecobank Windsor Country Club, Nairobi, Thursday May 22nd 2014 Section 1 East Africa’s agricultural balance East Africa is a food production hub Roots & tubers, cereals and fruit & vegetables dominate output Primary crop production, million tonnes, 2012 Share of primary crop production, 2012 40,000 Ethiopia 10% 30,000 28% Tanzania Uganda 20,000 4% 15% Kenya Rwanda 10,000 20% 23% Burundi 0 Roots & tubers Cereals Fruit & vegetables Pulses • Ethiopia & Tanzania produce around half of the region’s primary food crops. • Cassava, potatoes & maize are the region’s staple foods, which are traded widely. • A high proportion of fruit & vegetables are exported to sub-regional & international markets. Sources: FAO, Ecobank Research. © Ecobank 2014 | East Africa’s agro-industrial sector | 22 May 2014 3 East Africa dominates coffee production Guinea Ethiopia Côte d'Ivoire Cameroon Uganda Rwanda Kenya DRC Burundi Tanzania Coffee production, 2012/13 (each bar = 2 million 60-kg bags) Madagascar Sources: Intracen, Ecobank Research. Arabica Robusta © Ecobank 2014 | East Africa’s agro-industrial sector | 22 May 2014 4 Ethiopia & Algeria dominate coffee consumption African coffee consumption, 000s 60-kg bags, 2012/13 % share of African total, 2012/13 3,500 3,000 9% 4% 5% 2,500 2,000 1,500 40% 6% 9% ...
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...The Influence of Micro-finance Institutions on the Growth of Agribusiness Oriented Small Scale Enterprises in Kenya Name Tutor University Course Date Table of Content Table of Content 2 Abstract 4 Introduction 5 1.1 Background Information 5 1.2 Problem Statement 6 1.3 Justification 7 1.4 Objectives 7 1.5 Hypothesis 7 2.0 Literature Review 8 2.1 Kenya's Horticultural Sector at a Glance 9 2.1.1 Horticultural Leading Products 10 2.1.2 Top Importers 10 2.1.3 Private Sector Drive 10 2.2 Kenyan Contract Farming At a Glance 11 2.2.1 Definition of Contract Farming 11 2.2.2 Contract Groups 12 2.3 Supply of Microfinance 14 2.4 Types of Enterprises Engaged In By Microfinance Clients 15 2.5 Effect of Microfinance Services on Agribusiness-Oriented Small Scale Enterprises 15 3.0 Methodology 16 3.1 Area of Study 16 3.2 The Sample 16 3.3 Data Collection 16 3.4 Demographic Details for both Study Areas 17 3.5 Data Analysis 18 4.0 Work Schedule 19 5.0 Budget 20 6.0 References 21 7.0 Appendices 23 7.1 Appendix 1: Preliminary Data Analysis: Interview Questions 23 7.2 Appendix 2: Thematic Data Analysis 24 Abstract Micro-financing refers to the provision of financial services to individuals and groups which are not included in the formal financial systems based not only on assets and security but also other demographic, cultural, social, and gender constraints (Sindi, 2008). Microfinance institutions are those informal financial...
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...Conducting Business in Kenya February 13, 2015 Abstract As a business consultant for XYZ Medical Group, our mission is to travel to East Africa and build a HIV/AIDS clinic. Our goal is to educate different communities on the importance of safeguarding their health against contracting this disease. XYZ Medical Group has designed a program that has been successful in New York City and Philadelphia. Pursing international endeavors will be challenging when it comes to cultural and business practices. Understanding the different cultures and how to interact to convey the message is crucial. In order to be successful there must be policies and a strategic framework for mobilizing and coordinating resources for the prevention of HIV/AIDS transmission and provision of care and support to the infected and affected people in Kenya. AIDS is an epidemic throughout Africa and Kenya is not excluded. Currently, most people are not educated on the dangers of this disease due to ethnic, cultural, and religious beliefs. The country’s diverse culture, customs and gestures, political imbalance, economic state, and how they conduct business with foreign influences are some issues that will be addressed and solved before entering this venture. Conducting Business in Kenya Kenya or the Republic of Kenya is a newly independent country that gained its independence in 1963 from British colonial rule. Kenya is located in East Africa and is bordered by Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan. Ethiopia...
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... Paper Title: Business in Global Arena Final Examination Presented by: Mohamed Mohamed Abd-ElMeguid MBA#: Intake Number #58 Course Title: Business in Global Arena Module: Core Courses Instructor: Dr. Hein Roelfsema Course Delivery Date: November 2010 Date of Submission: 14- November -2010 Table of Contents Question 1: 3 Economic Profile and market seeking/resource seeking recommendations 3 Psychic distance that Egyptian expatriate managers are likely to face 5 Question 3: 6 Part 1: 6 Part 2: 6 Question 5: 8 Hypothesis 1: 8 Hypothesis 2: 8 Question 1: Economic Profile and market seeking/resource seeking recommendations |Indicator |Kenya |Tanzania |Uganda | |GNI |$60.27 Billion |$52.05 Billion |$36.08 Billion | |GNI per capita in PPP dollars |$1,550 |$1,260 |$1,140 | |GDP |$1,600 |$1,400 |$1,200 | |GDP Growth Rate |2.6% |6% |5.3% | |HDI |0.470 ...
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...irrigaton and washing the fruit. The water may be a renewable resource, but the fuel is not only irreplaceable but is a pollutant, too. The problem is that fossil fuels, such as petrol and diesel are remarkably cheap. The price of the fuel itself does not reflect the cost of providing the roads on which the vehicles travel. Nor does it reflect the cost of the environmental damage that burning fossil fuel creates. Nor the cost of developing alternatives when the oil wells run dry. All these costs will have to be paid for sooner or later, but they are not added to the price of the food. If they were we might think very differently about whether we wanted to pay the true price for fresh lettuces from California, strawberries from Israel, and flowers from Kenya. Food Miles Madness The real cost of food miles madness are seldom reflected in the price of food,' says SAFE Alliance co-ordinator Hugh Raven, 'It costs in terms of diverting land in food-deficit countries from producing food for local consumption into crops for export as with soya production in Brazil. It costs in terms of air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions from air and and road transport. It's madness to fly food halfway around the world when UK growers are going out of business - like the American raspberries on sale in the UK at the height of the raspberry...
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...note has b een prepared, without formal editing as a service to exporters and industries in developing countries by the Market News Service (MNS), Division of Product and Market Development, International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO. No part of this report may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission in writing of the MNS/ITC Geneva. Copyright © MNS/ITC 2006. All rights reserved Prepared by Mr. Josef Brinckmann, ITC Consultant brink@sonic.net International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO 54-56 rue de Montbrillant, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland. Tel : (4122) 730 01 11 - Fax: (4122) 733 44 39 E-mail: itcreg@intracen.org ; URL: http://www.intracen.org Postal address: International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland 2 EDITORS NOTE MNS Medicinal Plant and Extracts report is a formatted version of a news and information bulletin prepared by the International Trade Centre to promote international trade in medicinal plants and botanical extracts. The revised version of the report includes substantially more information on the structure and function of the market. These additional features have been included after extensive consultation with existing subscribers and trade experts. For subscription details please contact MNS in Geneva at the address given below. Coverage: Issue No. 18 includes six regional reviews and a special features section. 1. North America 2. Western...
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...UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI INSTITUTE OF DIPLOMACY AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES Implications of Global International Monetary Policy Decision on Economic Systems in East Africa: A Case Study of Kenya NAME: LILLIAN WACHIRA REG NO: R50/63875/2010 Supervisor: Dr. Gerrishon Ikiara A Research Proposal submitted in partial fulfillment of the Degree of Masters of Arts in International Studies (MA IS) DECLARATION I declare that this research proposal is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other university. NAME: LILLIAN WACHIRA REG. NO: R50/63875/2010 Sign: ………………………………… Date: ……………………… This research proposal has been submitted for examination with my approval as university supervisor SUPERVISOR: Sign: ……………………………… Date: …………………………. DEDICATION I dedicate my project to my lovely mother Beatrice, my brothers Edwin and Eric whose prayers words of encouragement and push for tenacity ring in my ears. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Gerrsihon Ikiara for the continuous support and guidance while carrying out my project, for his patience, motivation and immense knowledge. I would also like to thank the participants in my survey, who have willingly shared their precious time during the process of interviewing. I...
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...����������������� ���������� ����� ���������������������������������������������������� ��� ��������������� ������� � �� ����� ����� ����� UBINIG Unnayan Bikalper Nitinirdharoni Gobeshona In English it means Policy Research for Development Alternatives. It is essentially a policy advocacy and research organization that implement the ideas which come out of research works in the form of various programmes and projects. The implementations are elements of living interaction with the community. Contact: 5/3 Barabo Mahanpur, Ring Road, Shaymoli Dhaka - 1207, Bangladesh Phone: 811-1465, 329-620 e-mail: ubinig@citecho.net CWEARC The Cordillera Women’s Education Action Research Center It is a non-governmental organization engaged in organizing, education and services among indigenous women in the Cordillera Region, Philippines since 1987. CWEARC is presently working together with Innabuyog in empowering the indigenous women of the Cordillera through organizing, capacity building and advocacy on indigenous women’s issues. At the same time, CWEARC assists community-level women’s organizations address their socio-economic needs and problems. Contact: #16 Loro Street,Dizon Subdivision, Baguio City Email: cwerc@mozcom.com PEAC Pesticide Eco-Alternatives Center The mission of PEAC is to reduce the use of harmful pesticides in China and to promote alternative ecological forms of pest control, and eventually protect the human health and ecological health for sustainable development...
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...Child Labor: Threatening the economy and well-being of children Child labor has existed throughout American history and throughout the world for many years. A quote from Lewis Hine in 1980 states: "There is work that profits children, and there is work that brings profits only to employers. The object of employing children is not to train them, but to get high profits from their work.” As factories started to assemble, most owners preferred children as their workers because the owners thought them as “more manageable, cheaper and less likely to strike.” The industries children usually worked for were mines, glass factories, textiles, agriculture, canneries, home industries, newsboys, messengers, bootblack and peddlers. During the Industrial Revolution, children at four years old were employed and dealing with dangerous and sometimes fatal working conditions. Now, because of new child labor laws in the United States, industries are going overseas to produce their product in countries that still use child labor. Developed countries consider these actions to be human rights violations and are illegal, while some undeveloped countries will allow or tolerate child labor. These children who are in these factories in different countries are costing the company less because of their wages, when they could have their factories in the States, producing jobs and cash flow in our economy. Child labor violates the common good by threatening the long-term growth of the economy and the well-being...
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... Agroforestry in the drylands of eastern Africa: a call to action Bashir Jama and Abdi Zeila World Agroforestry Centre LIMITED CIRCULATION Titles in the Working Paper Series aim to disseminate information on agroforestry research and practices and stimulate feedback from the scientific community. Other series from the World Agroforestry Centre are: Agroforestry Perspectives, Technical Manuals, and Occasional Papers. Correct Citation: Jama B and Zeila A. 2005. Agroforestry in the drylands of eastern Africa: a call to action. ICRAF Working Paper – no. 1. Nairobi: World Agroforestry Centre. Published by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) Eastern and Central Africa Regional Programme United Nations Avenue PO Box 30677 – 00100, Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254 20 7224 000, via USA +1 650 833 6645 Fax: +254 20 7224 001, via USA +1 650 833 6646 Email: b.jama@cgiar.org Internet: www.worldagroforestry.org © World Agroforestry Centre 2005 ICRAF Working Paper no. 1 Photos: World Agroforestry Centre Staff Articles appearing in this publication may be quoted or reproduced without charge, provided the source is acknowledged. No use of this publication may be made for resale or other commercial purposes. All images remain the sole property of their source and may not be used for any purpose without written permission of the source. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the World Agroforestry Centre. The geographic designation employed and...
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...International Food and Agribusiness Management Review Volume 14, Issue 2, 2011 Agricultural Value Chains in Developing Countries A Framework for Analysis Jacques H. Trienekens Associate Professor, Wageningen University-Management Studies and Maastricht School of Management Hollandseweg 1, Wageningen, The Netherlands Abstract The paper presents a framework for developing country value chain analysis made up of three components. The first consists of identifying major constraints for value chain upgrading: market access restrictions, weak infrastructures, lacking resources and institutional voids. In the second component three elements of a value chain are defined: value addition, horizontal and vertical chain-network structure and value chain governance mechanisms. Finally, upgrading options are defined in the area of value addition, including the search for markets, the value chain- network structure and the governance form of the chain. Part of this component is the identification of the most suitable partnerships for upgrading the value chain. The three components of the framework are derived from major theoretical streams on inter-company relationships and from the literature on developing country value chains. The framework is applied in a case example of a developing country value chain. Keywords: Developing country value chains, research framework, upgrading Corresponding author: Tel: + 31 317 484160 Email: Jacques.Trienekens@wur.nl 51 2011 International Food...
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