Listed agri-business firm Kakuzi PLC has released its fourth Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report.

With the Kakuzi ESG 2022 Report release, the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) listed superfoods grower maintains its position as the first agricultural segment counter on the local bourse to release its ESG report this year voluntarily.

Speaking at the launch of the report, dubbed ‘For People with Purpose’, Kakuzi PLC Managing Director Mr. Chris Flowers lauded Kakuzi’s decision to invest in climate-smart agriculture to mitigate the impact of drought in horticultural and macadamia nut operations.

This is in line with President William Ruto’s initiative to convene African leaders for the Green Industrialisation Initiative.

Kakuzi intends to continue with this strategy to increase its areas under precision irrigation as well as a planned increase in its water storage capacity.

One of the firm’s major highlights in 2022 was becoming the first commercial exporter of African-grown avocados to China with a shipment of nine containers of quality export-grade avocados.

Kakuzi maintains focus on Produce and Markets Diversity

The China export made its numbers total to 527 avocado fruit containers of about 11.4 million kilogrammes exported to Europe and China during the year.

Kakuzi also established an Avocado Academy, which trains farmers to increase their knowledge base in avocado production.

Using social media, the Academy trains farmers in Kenya and other countries who incorporate the key learnings on their farms to improve their avocado yields.

The training is done through platforms such as YouTube using short topical videos to upskill their avocado knowledge.

Farmers are taught best practices that explain topics ranging from seedling and harvest stages to export using easy-to-digest content. The Academy also uses Facebook to send texts instrumental in capacity-building.

For the community around Kakuzi, the superfood grower offered health services, reaching over 549 community members: 258 male and 291 female.

The services offered were cervical and prostate cancer screening, HPV vaccine for young girls, COVID-19 vaccination, VCT, and nutritional assessment.

Earlier this year, Kakuzi PLC assumed a New Brand Identity underlining a ‘Growing Together’ Commitment to its stakeholders, underscoring its commitment to agricultural development for the domestic and export markets.