Corteva Agriscience recently hosted a significant two-day Growers Conference at a Naivasha hotel, gathering key stakeholders in the flower industry to address pressing challenges in production and market access.
With the sector grappling with issues such as the production and export of quality flowers, restrictions on pesticide use within the European Union, and rising freight capacity and costs, the conference sought to discuss the challenges
The event brought together a wide range of participants, including growers, policymakers, industry organizations, market players, and researchers.
Corteva Agriscience, known for its robust pesticide portfolio with products like Equation Pro, Closer 240SC, Delegate 250WG,Tracer 480SC, Radiant 120 SC, Uphold 360 SC and others, played an important role in shaping the discussions. Other than senior Corteva staff, the conference drew participation from Representatives from regulatory agencies such as the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) and the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), alongside key pesticide membership representative bodies like AAKGrow and Croplife Africa. The flower sector drew representation from KFC and FPEAK. Market standard bodies were well represented by Fair trade.
The conference aimed to bridge the gap between growers and Market and translate and orient growers’ efforts to policy relevant ways to maintain our markets and maximize their income. The exchange among experts and policy makers focused on the current and evolving state of production and market access, as well as on the main challenges to reconcile production and market, focusing particularly on use of pesticides.
The conference explored the following questions:
- What is the state of pesticide use in the flower sector? What are the pesticide trends on the EU market and what are the implications?
- How can innovation and R&D contribute to market growth? Which practices support sustainable production growth and what are the trade-offs?
- What is the state of the freight sector and what are the main challenges ahead?
Stay tuned for detailed articles on the conference discussions in our upcoming issue!
Conference photos
