The EU has launched MARKUP II, a €40 million (Ksh6.2 billion) program aimed at supporting small businesses in the agricultural sector within the East African Community (EAC). This program, following the success of its predecessor, MARKUP I, will focus on priority sectors such as avocado, cocoa, coffee, essential oils, French beans, gum Arabic, horticulture, leather, packaging, spices, and tea.
MARKUP II’s primary objectives are to enhance value addition, diversify offerings, encourage investment, and strengthen export linkages in the agricultural industry. It will be overseen by a regional Steering Committee led by the EAC Secretariat, in collaboration with various stakeholders.
In the first phase (MARKUP I), approximately 700 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the EAC region received support, resulting in international transactions worth over US dollars 10million (Ksh1.48 billion) and access to US dollars 9million (Ksh 1.33billion) in financing.
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MARKUP I also significantly boosted exports, with coffee exports to EU markets more than doubling from Euros 488 million (Ksh76.47 billion) in 2018 to Euros1.1 billion (Ksh172.37billion) in 2022, and avocado exports growing from Euros 85.5 million (Ksh13.39 billion) to Euros 112.4 million (Ksh17.6billion).
Moreover, it empowered 37,819 small and medium enterprises, leading to collective sales and exports of US dollars16 million (Ksh2.3billion) and attracting US dollars1 million(Ksh148.75) in investment for over 70 small businesses.
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MARKUP II, implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC) in collaboration with the EAC Secretariat, is poised to build on these achievements and further enhance the competitiveness of East African agricultural businesses on the global stage.
