Interview with Ruth Nyagah, AfriCert (TSPN-member)
1. TSPN : Ms Nyagah, since 1994 you work for AfriCert, Kenia. Can you give us a short overview on AfriCert and your field of work?
Africert was set up as a result of a GAP analysis that had been done by GTZ( GIZ) in 2001 about the need for a local certification body. This was initially for organic inspection but later included EUREPGAP which was just starting to gain some importance in the local fresh produce sector.
In 2004 GTZ contracted me through the International Center for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) to start developing the concept of setting up a local certification body and this is how Africert was born. GTZ financed the whole development until initial accreditation for ISO 65/EN 45011 which was granted in December 2004 by DAP (currently DAkks) of Germany. The initial accreditation was for EUREPGAP (currently GlobalGap) and the organic part did not quite materialize as the organic market in Kenya is quite low and so there lacked a critical mass to support an accredited system. However, Africert does conduct organic inspection through a subcontracting with CERES GmbH whenever there is a client locally in need of organic certification. Africert has grown since then and has a number of standards that it certifies or verifies under its accreditation. These are GlobalGap, Utz Certified, Leaf Marques, CmiA (Cotton Made in Africa), Rainforest Alliance and ETP (Ethical Tea Partnership). Africert works through a subcontracting with MPS to carry out inspections for cut flowers in Africa.
Currently Africert is working on ISO 22000 accreditation which is planned for the last quarter of 2011.
My professional training is in Post Harvest Horticulture (MSc) from the University of Greenwich- UK and I have a passion for local food safety systems for small holder productions. As the Managing Director, my field of work is quite broad more so because I am also the founder of Africert. I not only oversee growth and implementation of the quality system, but also have to be the link with our immediate market (standard owners) and related business development. From a staff of 2 in 2005, Africert has now a permanent staff of 14 auditors who are as a result of growth of certification requirements on both niche and commodity products from Africa. In 2010, Africert opened an office in Accra in order to serve the West African market better and participate in developing local auditing capacity in Ghana and Ivory Coast to start with. This would help create a critical mass of fully qualified auditors for various standards who can be used locally to make certification more sustainable especially in relation to cost. This is a model that Africert would want to replicate in strategic countries in East, West and Central Africa in the medium term.
2. TSPN : Which role do private voluntary standards play in Kenya?
Kenya is one of the key countries which have been very positive in embracing private standards based on its export based agriculture system. This ranges from Fresh fruits and vegetables, cut flowers and Key commodities like coffee and tea. In this regard, market standards are quite relevant to the Kenyan producer as a way of gaining niche market access.
3. TSPN : What are the main obstacles for PVS in Kenya?
Often certification cost is only looked at from the auditing fees only, but not from related services which all contribute to make the cost of certification quite an expensive input for producers. This is because in the absence of qualified local capacities for various standards, this skill has to be imported or developed through expensive training which all have to be met directly or indirectly by producers. The same goes for auditing costs- the costs associated with up scaling an auditor to be able to comply with auditing requirements for various standards is quite high and these costs have a relationship to auditing costs. Finally, the cost of maintaining an accredited system also contributes to making the whole chain of certification quite expensive.
4. TSPN : Which role does the Kenyan government play in the field of private standards? Is it engaged in creating an enabling environment? What are your experiences?
The Kenyan Government does not get involved in regulating private standards, but rather it provides an enabling environment for producers to find ways of enhancing their individual market access development.
5. What are the advantages for Africert of being a TSPN -member?
The most important one is net working through organizations of like minds, that is people and organizations trying to find viable solutions in making market access through private standards viable.
Second, this is a good forum for Africert to offer any experience in the challenges that it has encountered in the last few years as far as small holder compliance bottlenecks are concerned.
TSPN : Thank you very much, Ms. Nyagah, for this interesting interview!