April Issue - Hortinews.co.ke

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Editorial
Issue No. 15 JAN - MAR 2011
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E d i to r i a l boa r d
Arim Ogolla - HCDA
Catherine Riungu -HortiNews
Jane Ngige - kfc
Lusike Wasilwa - kari
Stephen Mbithi - Fpeak
The Kenya Flower Council has, for many
years, recommended that mechanisms be
established to supervise growing practices
and enforce responsible operations
m a n ag i n g edito r
Catherine Riungu
M a r k e t i n g
Julius Gitau
Elijah Karu
co n t r i b u to r s
Gatu Mbaria
Ngobilo Nakitare
Jeremy Cordingley
P h oto g r a p hy
Allan Muturi
D e s i g n and L ayo u t
Samuel Irungu
Name and shame culprits
The Kenya Human Rights Commission executive director, Atsango Chesoni, is on
record as saying that the flower industry in Kenya has come a long way in improving
workers welfare especially over the past decade. She is right.
Speaking at the launch of the commission’s report that once again raised the red flag
over continued violation of workers rights in the sector on February 14, Ms Chesoni
said it is important to recognize the efforts of growers who have put in measures that
are worth emulating.
The timing of the report, Wilting in Bloom: the Irony of Women Labour Rights in the Cut
Flower Sector in Kenya, to coincide with the industry’s most important trade day the
world over, was hardly surprising because this has been a ritual spanning more than
15 years, with human-rights and environmental activists targeting the flower industry.
This time, though, the report was not just about irresponsible growing practices, but
also brought out other factors that encourage the entrenchment of the violations, key
among them lack of a legal framework to reign in the culprits.
Horticultural News
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circulated to personnel in the
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H O R T I C U LT U R A L N E W S I m a r c h - a p r i l 2 0 1 2
The Kenya Flower Council has, for many years, recommended that mechanisms be
established to supervise growing practices and enforce responsible operations. It is
disheartening listening to accounts of how badly certain farms treat their workers and
at the same time, know that there are others who have gone out of their way to create
a conducive environment.
It is the latter that unfortunately bears the pain of being bundied together with
those who care less how much damage negative reports visit on the industry that has
attracted admiration and hatred in equal measure from flower lovers on one hand,
and activists on the other.
With reports indicating that plans are under way to create a system that will ensure
growers get a social and environmental audits compliance certificate before exporting,
it is hoped that this will finally weed out impunity from certain operators who have
openly violated every law, and self-regulation standards, and in the process given the
entire industry a bad image. We also hope that under the new dispensation, heads
can start rolling considering that the culprits are well known. The KHRC should go a
step further and compile findings backed with facts and figures on individual farm
practices, name and shame those whose practices are wanting.
Catherine Riungu
catherine@hortinews.co.ke
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