The agricultural sector plays a critical role in supplying food and export earnings for devloping countries. Leaders in these countries need to take the newly established European Union (EU) regulations seriously.
The European Commission unveiled measures intended to increase the contribution of EU trade agreements in safeguarding the climate, environment, and labour rights worldwide.
The changes will also have far-reaching implications in export countries like Kenya. Currently, Africa’s exports of agricultural produce to the EU and agri-food make up 16 percent of EU-Africa trade and are worth €5 billion ($19.6 billion).
However, the upward trajectory is now under threat unless Kenya creates widespread awareness and builds the capacity to implement the rules.