BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6adcc3f4a1388 DTSTART:20230817T060000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20230817T140000Z LOCATION:Online and Nairobi\, Kenya SUMMARY:1st Workshop on eco-tanning processes in Kenya and the East African region CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:Leather is a global product\, but its production results in sig nificant amounts of pollution\, which poses challenges for developing coun tries to address.  As part of the Sustainable Manufacturing and Environme ntal Pollution (SMEP) programme\, UNCTAD supported a two-day workshop on e co-tanning processes in Kenya and the East African Region.\n\nThe event\, which brought together various stakeholders along the leather value chain\ , regulatory agencies\, research and academic institutions\, happened foll owing a call for concepts to address tanneries pollution launched on the 4 th of August\, 2023 by SMEP.\n\nThe hybrid event\, which took place on 17- 18 August\, 2023 in Nairobi\, Kenya\, and online\, was sponsored by the UK ’s Foreign\, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and co-organized by UNCTAD\, the Technical University of Kenya (TUK)\, the Kenyan State Mi nistry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and the Tanners Associatio n of Kenya (TAK).\n\nIn this sense\, the activity\, aimed at building inst itutional capacities through the training of key players within the leathe r tanning industry\, provided an inclusive platform of cooperation and coo rdination among stakeholders including the private sector\, the Government \, and academia. The two-day event focused on new eco-tanning technologie s and environmental challenges associated with tanneries and the leather m anufacturing sectors in these regions. Key issues discussed included innov ative research focused on addressing the negative environmental impacts of the industry\, in particular eco-preservation\, eco-tanning technologies and novel leather manufacturing and utilization strategies\, circular econ omic opportunities for tannery waste\, governance and regulations influenc ing this sector especially tax incentives\, sustainable environmental and occupational and health and safety laws among others for governance and in ternational certification standards and other support mechanisms for trade and capabilities for growth in the sector.\n\nThe workshop also involved two site visits. The first visit took participants\, including SMEP progra mme representative Ms. Elzette Henshilwood\, to one of the largest tanneri es in Kenya\, Alpharama Limited\, situated on the outskirts of Nairobi (At hi River). It is the only tannery in the country that is a member of the i nternational Leather Working Group certified to produce and export both se mi-processed and finished leather to the international market. The second site visit\, which concluded the workshop\, took participants to the engin eering facilities of the Technical University of Kenya\, where mechanical engineering and industrial spare parts production capabilities were showca sed.\n\nDiscussions among participants and panelists highlighted a few key themes\, which point to opportunities for intervention in this sector:\n\ n\nPresident William Ruto’s continued emphasis on Kenya’s vision 2030 initiative which is intended to make Kenya a manufacturing nation by 2030\ , focuses on key manufacturing sectors to grow its collective contribution from the current 7.6% to 20% of the country’s GDP by 2030. The leather sector has been identified as one of the underperforming sectors in the Ke nya Kwanza Plan\, and will henceforth be the focus of future governmental support.  \nA need for synergies was identified between the livestock ind ustry and its regulatory frameworks to ensure the leather industry is supp lied with quality hides and skins.  This can be done through skills train ing to ensure better-flayed skins or modernizing flaying techniques to imp rove output quality.\nMore attention should be focused on how to reduce il licit trade in hides with West Africa traders\, which undermine the quanti ty of leather reaching the tanning industry and bypasses good quality stan dards and environmental practices. \nDifficulties to comply with the Nati onal Environmental Management Authority’s (NEMA) environmental rules was mentioned to be challenging for many tanneries in Kenya. This has negativ ely impacted sectoral growth and employment creation. In response\, NEMA p roposed to offer support and maintain continuous dialogue with the sector. In addition\, NEMA also encouraged the industry practitioners to develop self-regulatory mechanisms within the tanning sector. \nA disconnect was identified between the strategic focus on growing the industry and the hig h import tariffs applied to chemicals and machineries needed for tanning. Participants called on the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to revise their p olicy to keep Kenyan leather competitive both locally and globally. \nRes earch institutions are leading the way for innovative eco-tanning processe s\, traceability\, biotechnology\, and ways in which to extract or recycle solid waste (by-products) through innovative utilization of tannery waste and converting it into useful resources. However\, these solutions are ye t to be commercialised.  This raises the importance of novel instruments to promote innovation entrepreneurship to establish connections between ca pable research institution and market needs.  As stated by Dr. George Okw adha of the Technical University of Kenya ‘Waste is only waste if you wa ste it.’  \n\n\nFinally\, feedback from participants was positive\, wit h many expressing appreciation for the breadth and depth of the workshop p resentations and the mix of presenters actors present.  The opportunity a llowed the local tanners to easily converse and interact with Government o fficials and the academia\, in a context where such opportunities are rare . As expressed by the owner of Msai and United Tanneries Limited\, Mr. Abd i Rizek\, “It was a pleasure to attend this workshop supported by SMEP.  I have attended more than seven sectoral workshops in the last one year and I can say that this was one of the best. We got to know a lot of peopl e\, interact with many different people in different sectors\, especially Government. This event was an eye opener for the entire industry”. \n\n The workshop was supported by the SMEP Programme\, sponsored by UK-FCDO an d delivered in partnership with UNCTAD. \nsmepprogramme.org\n\nView meeti ng on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/meeting/1st-workshop-eco-tanning-proc esses-kenya-and-east-african-region DTSTAMP:20261024T144300Z END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6adcc3f4a13c2 DTSTART:20230818T060000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20230818T140000Z LOCATION:Online and Nairobi\, Kenya SUMMARY:1st Workshop on eco-tanning processes in Kenya and the East African region CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:Leather is a global product\, but its production results in sig nificant amounts of pollution\, which poses challenges for developing coun tries to address.  As part of the Sustainable Manufacturing and Environme ntal Pollution (SMEP) programme\, UNCTAD supported a two-day workshop on e co-tanning processes in Kenya and the East African Region.\n\nThe event\, which brought together various stakeholders along the leather value chain\ , regulatory agencies\, research and academic institutions\, happened foll owing a call for concepts to address tanneries pollution launched on the 4 th of August\, 2023 by SMEP.\n\nThe hybrid event\, which took place on 17- 18 August\, 2023 in Nairobi\, Kenya\, and online\, was sponsored by the UK ’s Foreign\, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and co-organized by UNCTAD\, the Technical University of Kenya (TUK)\, the Kenyan State Mi nistry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and the Tanners Associatio n of Kenya (TAK).\n\nIn this sense\, the activity\, aimed at building inst itutional capacities through the training of key players within the leathe r tanning industry\, provided an inclusive platform of cooperation and coo rdination among stakeholders including the private sector\, the Government \, and academia. The two-day event focused on new eco-tanning technologie s and environmental challenges associated with tanneries and the leather m anufacturing sectors in these regions. Key issues discussed included innov ative research focused on addressing the negative environmental impacts of the industry\, in particular eco-preservation\, eco-tanning technologies and novel leather manufacturing and utilization strategies\, circular econ omic opportunities for tannery waste\, governance and regulations influenc ing this sector especially tax incentives\, sustainable environmental and occupational and health and safety laws among others for governance and in ternational certification standards and other support mechanisms for trade and capabilities for growth in the sector.\n\nThe workshop also involved two site visits. The first visit took participants\, including SMEP progra mme representative Ms. Elzette Henshilwood\, to one of the largest tanneri es in Kenya\, Alpharama Limited\, situated on the outskirts of Nairobi (At hi River). It is the only tannery in the country that is a member of the i nternational Leather Working Group certified to produce and export both se mi-processed and finished leather to the international market. The second site visit\, which concluded the workshop\, took participants to the engin eering facilities of the Technical University of Kenya\, where mechanical engineering and industrial spare parts production capabilities were showca sed.\n\nDiscussions among participants and panelists highlighted a few key themes\, which point to opportunities for intervention in this sector:\n\ n\nPresident William Ruto’s continued emphasis on Kenya’s vision 2030 initiative which is intended to make Kenya a manufacturing nation by 2030\ , focuses on key manufacturing sectors to grow its collective contribution from the current 7.6% to 20% of the country’s GDP by 2030. The leather sector has been identified as one of the underperforming sectors in the Ke nya Kwanza Plan\, and will henceforth be the focus of future governmental support.  \nA need for synergies was identified between the livestock ind ustry and its regulatory frameworks to ensure the leather industry is supp lied with quality hides and skins.  This can be done through skills train ing to ensure better-flayed skins or modernizing flaying techniques to imp rove output quality.\nMore attention should be focused on how to reduce il licit trade in hides with West Africa traders\, which undermine the quanti ty of leather reaching the tanning industry and bypasses good quality stan dards and environmental practices. \nDifficulties to comply with the Nati onal Environmental Management Authority’s (NEMA) environmental rules was mentioned to be challenging for many tanneries in Kenya. This has negativ ely impacted sectoral growth and employment creation. In response\, NEMA p roposed to offer support and maintain continuous dialogue with the sector. In addition\, NEMA also encouraged the industry practitioners to develop self-regulatory mechanisms within the tanning sector. \nA disconnect was identified between the strategic focus on growing the industry and the hig h import tariffs applied to chemicals and machineries needed for tanning. Participants called on the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to revise their p olicy to keep Kenyan leather competitive both locally and globally. \nRes earch institutions are leading the way for innovative eco-tanning processe s\, traceability\, biotechnology\, and ways in which to extract or recycle solid waste (by-products) through innovative utilization of tannery waste and converting it into useful resources. However\, these solutions are ye t to be commercialised.  This raises the importance of novel instruments to promote innovation entrepreneurship to establish connections between ca pable research institution and market needs.  As stated by Dr. George Okw adha of the Technical University of Kenya ‘Waste is only waste if you wa ste it.’  \n\n\nFinally\, feedback from participants was positive\, wit h many expressing appreciation for the breadth and depth of the workshop p resentations and the mix of presenters actors present.  The opportunity a llowed the local tanners to easily converse and interact with Government o fficials and the academia\, in a context where such opportunities are rare . As expressed by the owner of Msai and United Tanneries Limited\, Mr. Abd i Rizek\, “It was a pleasure to attend this workshop supported by SMEP.  I have attended more than seven sectoral workshops in the last one year and I can say that this was one of the best. We got to know a lot of peopl e\, interact with many different people in different sectors\, especially Government. This event was an eye opener for the entire industry”. \n\n The workshop was supported by the SMEP Programme\, sponsored by UK-FCDO an d delivered in partnership with UNCTAD. \nsmepprogramme.org\n\nView meeti ng on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/meeting/1st-workshop-eco-tanning-proc esses-kenya-and-east-african-region DTSTAMP:20261024T144300Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR