The global flower community gathered in Nairobi this week for the annual International Flower Trade Exhibition (IFTEX), where industry players reaffirmed Kenya’s position as a leading supplier of cut flowers in Africa and a significant force in the international market.
Speaking during the official opening on June 3, 2025, Christine Chesaro, Director of the Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD), who represented the Director General of the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), Dr. Bruno Linyiru, and read his speech, reaffirmed Kenya’s strong position in the global cut flower trade and commended the industry’s resilience, innovation, and economic contribution.
“Today, we celebrate not just the beauty and elegance of floriculture, but also the resilience, innovation, and dedication of the people behind this thriving industry,” he told delegates drawn from across the globe.
The agriculture sector accounts for 33 percent of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with floriculture remaining the top-performing sub-sector within horticulture. In 2024, horticulture exports earned the country Ksh 136 billion, with cut flowers contributing 53 percent of this value. Key markets include the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Middle East.
Beyond foreign exchange earnings, the flower industry provides direct and indirect employment to over 150,000 Kenyans. Dr. Linyiru emphasized that the Government of Kenya has placed agriculture at the heart of its bottom-up economic transformation agenda, targeting sub-sectors with potential to reduce poverty and drive industrialization.
Expanding Flower Production into New Regions
One of the highlights of this year’s forum was the acknowledgment of floriculture’s expansion into new counties, traditionally not associated with commercial flower production. Areas such as Bungoma, Narok, Homa Bay, and Siaya have joined established flower-growing regions, increasing production capacity and diversifying Kenya’s flower portfolio.
“Working with stakeholders, the industry has expanded its production to counties which traditionally have not been flower producing regions. These counties include Bungoma, Narok, Homabay, Siaya among others,” Dr. Linyiru said.
He went on to note, “In addition, Kenya has the ability to have diverse portfolio of cut flowers, which is an indication of the country’s ability to meet the diverse market needs across the globe and the potential to expand the sub-sector.”
Challenges and the Industry’s Response
Despite its successes, the flower industry continues to face persistent challenges. These include pest and disease pressure, rising production costs, climate change, logistics bottlenecks, market competition, and increasingly stringent export requirements.
In response, the government is working closely with the private sector to support growers in several key areas:
- Promoting adherence to quality and market standards to maintain competitiveness
- Encouraging the adoption of climate-smart technologies to tackle environmental challenges
- Facilitating market promotion initiatives and capacity building
- Providing a supportive regulatory environment to ease market access and stimulate investment
Showcasing Innovation and Market Opportunities
IFTEX 2025 offered a timely platform for industry players to exchange ideas, exhibit technology, and secure new business opportunities. Dr. Linyiru highlighted the role of innovation in addressing current and emerging challenges within the sector.
“Technology plays an important role in enhancing efficiency, quality and market readiness,” he noted, citing examples such as precision farming systems, climate-smart greenhouse solutions, and modern post-harvest handling techniques that improve product shelf life and quality during export.
The exhibition also provided vital exposure for small-scale growers and consolidators, allowing them to network, meet international buyers, and access insights into changing consumer preferences and emerging market conditions.
IFTEX 2025 reaffirmed Kenya’s central role in the global flower trade and showcased the industry’s readiness to embrace innovation while remaining grounded in the resilience that has long defined the country’s floriculture sector.