Taskforce will address leather sector problems
The Kenyan government has established a committee to look into the problems affecting the leather sector.
A senior official at the industrialisation ministry, John Lonyangapuo, told local media that the aim was spark new life in the country’s once robust leather industry.
A taskforce formed in mid-September and is expected to present a report to the ministry within a month.
“Once the report is out, we will be in a position to tell what sections of the leather value chain are in need of reform,” Mr Lonyangapuo said.
He added that this was part of a wider initiative under which the government hoped to boost to 15% the manufacturing sector’s contribution to Kenya’s gross domestic product, a substantial increase on the figure right now, 10%. The leather sector’s current contribution is 1.7%.
Mr Lonyangapuo continued: “At 1.7%, leather is the poorest performing sub-sector in manufacturing especially considering that the demand for these products both locally and internationally is yet to be met.”
He said that the adoption of environmentally friendly production techniques by local leather producers would enhance the sector’s performance on the international markets.
