Nairobi, KENYA: Production of Canola Oil is expected to double at the tail end of 2017 after Unilever East Africa, Agventure Ltd. and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, signed a Memorandum of Agreement MoA to achieve this.
According to the agreement an investment of sh. 23 million shared among the three partners has been made to give technical assistance to local farmers.
Speaking during the MoA signing on Wednesday, Unilever East Africa MD Justin Apsey lauded the partnership sighting that this would help in achieving Sustainable Development Goals SDGs as the commitment went towards reducing environmental impact and improving well-being of the local farmer.
“Sustainable farming methods have the potential to increase yields considerably, mitigate the effects of climate change and provide economic and social benefits to farmers, their families, and the surrounding communities. Participating local farmers will benefit from and contribute to economic development and sustainable farming practices in Kenya,” Mr. Apsey said.
The agreement foresees that a total of 500 local farmers will be trained resulting in doubling the annual supply of locally sourced canola oil for Unilever.
Canola also referred to as rapeseed, is becoming popular among Kenyan farmers because of its role in reducing soil erosion and improving water retention.
Agricultural experts have been known to praise the crop when used in rotational based farming because it diversifies the farmers’ risks and also improves climate resilience.
Unilever purchases around 2 per cent of the world’s supply of sunflower and canola oils, deemed as one of the healthiest edible oils.
