Luckily, consumers are starting to request more information on where and how their flowers were grown and who grew them. Most of the Kenyan growers welcome this paradigm shift.
Kenyan growers encourage transparency not only in their business, but in the entire floral industry. “We aim to be stewards of the earth and work in harmony with nature to create amazing cut flowers that are safe for farmers to grow, and promote healthy soil”, says Andrew Wambua as he prepared for 2019 Valentine.
So, how do we highlight to our customers that we are a sustainable farm dedicated to the economic, social, and environmental well-being of our land, our flowers, our team members, and our community?
The way that makes the most sense for the growers, has been to obtain certification to Sustainable Agriculture Standard. This trusted certification quickly signals to consumers that our flowers were grown in a responsible, ethical and sustainable manner.
People walking through a supermarket floral department see amazing colours and textures and experience a whirlwind of scents. You only have a few seconds to get your message across to a consumer, to help guide them to your product. The highly recognizable KFC green seal has been an essential part of most Kenyan growers marketing.
Differentiating yourself in a crowded market place is essential. We choose to differentiate ourselves by the way we farm. This has always been the way we’ve done things. While conventional flower cultivation often comes at the expense of healthy ecosystems, the Kenya Flower Council Certified flowers that we grow help ensure long term soil health, and demonstrates our values to our consumers– that we respect our workers, neighbours, and surrounding environment.
After going through the intensive process of KFC certification, we are now perfectly positioned to reach people who truly care about our planet and we have an excellent tool to instantly and credibly convey our values to fellow flower lovers.
Flowers are one of the most universal gifts. They translate to joyous occasions, as well as the saddest moments in life. When you give a gift, don’t you want to know that you are sending a gift that is beautiful but also free of toxins and unhealthy chemicals? Flowers encourage people to touch their blooms, feeling a soft flower petal is a natural urge we feel even before we learn to walk. Flowers have inspired artists and thinkers since the beginning of time, and we treasure this legacy. As farmers we devote our lives to growing flowers that will bring people enjoyment and delight.
Mr. Andrew Tubei of Masai farm says, “I have never seen a person receive flowers, and not be happy.”By partnering with KFC, we have made a conscious decision to bring the absolute best quality, responsibly grown flowers to market. Flowers that will be shared with families and friends, over laughter and tears, enriching lives and of course, bringing joy.
“Certification is a means, not an end goal”
Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) is an international foundation based in Brussels. At the foundation established in 2013, approximately 50 market parties and civil society organizations work together to make the floriculture sector more sustainable. FSI program manager Jeroen Oudheusden shares his vision: “Sustainability is a precondition for existence. It must be anchored in every organization’s strategy.”
The aim of the FSI is to ensure that the international sector produces and markets 90% of all flowers and plants sustainably by 2020. Says Jeroen, “We have now passed the halfway mark. This goes faster with plants than it does with flowers.”
Making sustainable supply more transparent
Jeroen has noticed an acceleration in the number of certified growers. “This is great, but traders and retailers have to act as well. They must purchase sustainably. And the 90% ambition applies to Royal FloraHolland as well. It is very good that the auction is making the sustainable supply more transparent by adding the right information to products and making them traceable in the supply systems. In this way, growers can distinguish themselves and the traders can buy sustainable products in an efficient manner. Certified supply should eventually be a basic condition for offering at any given marketplace.”
Working together as a network
In addition to making certificates transparent and comparing them, FSI is also engaged with other themes to make the sector more sustainable. Examples include water purification, international projects for organic crop protection, and working conditions and human rights. “We work together as a network and share our information. What we learn in one country, we share in the other country. Growers do not have to be a member of FSI to make use of our knowledge. I would prefer growers to invest money and energy into sustainability and consulting FSI members.”
First positive step
Working sustainably is not, in the first instance, about certification. “The objective is for the process to be sustainable and to lead to a sustainable product. You can guarantee this with certification. In addition, reliable cultivation registration is important. If you have this in order, you are already on the way to a more sustainable process. You will then see where there is room for improvement. Many growers are already accustomed to that. My advice to growers who do not yet do so is to start with that today. Try to include good growers’ practices and market demand. Set achievable goals and show the market the initiatives you are undertaking to increase sustainability. FSI members want more transparency in making the sector more sustainable. Certification is a means, certainly not an end goal. It does not solve all sustainability issues, but it is a good first step. I believe it’s important that organizations think about how they can pass the planet on to future generations in slightly better shape with attention to the three P’s: people, profit, and planet.”
Basket of Standards
The FSI ‘Basket of Standards’ offers an overview of the international certificates in different categories: social, sustainable or a combination. The requirements for the various certifications develop along with the legislation, good agricultural practice and market requirements. FSI is going to split the ‘environmental component’ into environmental and good agricultural practices, both of which have to be clearly explained with (cultivation) registration. The new set-up also provides space for specific environmental labels such as MPS-ABC and PlanetProof.
Every grower is responsible
Jeroen believes that every grower is responsible for the sector’s success. “If a product group deliberately does nothing in terms of sustainability, the market will seek alternatives for those products, and the entire market may suffer. Producers who do nothing call their right to exist into question. Working sustainably does not only apply to growers, but to traders as well. Do not just purchase sustainably; look at packaging and transport too.
The footprint of the entire chain is becoming more important.
” Even after 2020, FSI will continue to encourage the sector to work sustainably. “We are already in discussion with our members about our plans after 2020. That year is not an end point, but a mere stop on the road to sustainability. This is an ongoing process. We continue to insist on a reliable cultivation registration because as a grower you have to be increasingly accountable with regard to your cultivation. You must ensure that you are transparent and reliable. That is and will remain the basis for the wonderful stories generated by sustainable business. That’s a huge opportunity, which we must take advantage of together!”
Certification increases your market opportunities
” Peter cultivates roses all year round in the most environmentally conscious way possible. They produce millions of stems per year. Five years ago the company joined a quality label for growers that places a great emphasis on sustainability.
“We have noticed that sustainably cultivated flowers are becoming increasingly important. Customers ask for them more often. And we always do our utmost to satisfy our customers’ wishes. When we joined a growers association, we immediately obtained a label certificate for traceability of pesticides, environment, safety and hygiene. This demonstrates that we are a sustainable company.”
Dotting the i’s
“For the label certification we register our pesticides and make sure that everything is clean. We also check our capital equipment regularly and conduct maintenance of our machine park once a year. Naturally, we were doing that as well before, but now we follow the regulations for the certificate and ensure that everything is really done on time. I think that well-organised companies will not have difficulty with this registration. Certification is a question of dotting the i’s. I am proud that we were able to accomplish this so quickly.”
Good for the group’s interest
“All certified growers work sustainably. I consider that extra motivation. Previously, it was my problem if I didn’t do something right. Now if I don’t play by the rules, there are consequences. If a grower loses their certification, he deceives the other growers because direct sales are done under the label after all. I want to prevent my actions having negative consequences for the other growers. Everyone must do well in the interest of the group.”
Certification can have many benefits
“I would advise growers who want to obtain certification to register if at all possible. Look at the example of crop protection. Then you have something you can show, even to your customers. It doesn’t cost much money or time but can have many benefits because you improve your market opportunities. And often customers want to know how you cultivated your flowers and which pesticides you used. The government regulations are also becoming stricter. I feel that we must stay ahead, and that includes sustainable flowers and plants. With little to lose, why wouldn’t you go for certification?”