USDA’s Deputy Ag Secretary, Dr. Jewell Bronaugh, led a recent trade mission to Kenya, Tanzania, and Zanzibar on the African continent. Bronaugh says the trip was all about finding more export markets for American commodities.
“We have had a very exciting trade mission, which had the purpose of really trying to support U.S. food and ag exporters in their efforts to boost the sales of high-quality food and ag products and increase the awareness of quality U.S. products in Sub-Saharan Africa during the perfect time to host a trade mission. There have been many opportunities from changes here in East Africa, so we want to capitalize on the agricultural trade opportunities following the launch of the recent U.S.-Kenya Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership.”
A recent decision by Kenya’s government made it the right time for a trip to that country.
“Kenya’s decision to lift its ban on importation and the cultivation of GE products means it’s a perfect time to boost sustainable and inclusive economic growth and support African regional economic integration. We want to deepen the trade cooperation, focusing on the promotion of two-way trade, which we feel can better enable relationships here in East Africa, especially in countries that we visited. We visited Kenya, Tanzania, and Zanzibar. We had a great delegation of about 17 U.S. businesses, ten co-operators and trade groups, and 16 departments of agriculture.”
She says Tanzania appears to potentially be opening up as an export market for U.S. goods. “Tanzania is a bit different from Kenya. They still have historically leaned towards EU-guided food policy, but they have a new government that’s moving the needle in a newer direction that we feel could be more positive for U.S. food and agriculture.”
