As one of Kenya’s leading producers of organically certified macadamia nuts, LIMBUA took part in the Macadamia Conference held in Embu. The event, organized by the AFA Nuts and Oil Crops Directorate (NOCD), is considered the most important industry gathering for Kenya’s macadamia sector. It brings together farmers, processors, exporters, and policymakers to discuss current developments and future perspectives in the industry.
LIMBUA at the Conference in Embu
Key Platform for the Macadamia Sector
For our LIMBUA team, participating in the conference was a valuable opportunity to nurture existing partnerships and establish new connections. Particularly important to us was the personal exchange with local farmers, fellow processors, and potential international partners. At the same time, we aimed to actively contribute to the dialogue on sustainable agriculture and fair value creation in the sector.
Sustainability, Data, and Value Creation: The Core Topics
The conference provided strong impulses: its thematic focus lay on sustainable production and climate resilience within the nut and oil crop sector.
The importance of data-driven decision-making was also emphasized – highlighting the need for improved data collection and analysis to guide industry growth. These topics reflect many of the principles LIMBUA has been implementing for years – for example, in organic production and close, data-based collaboration with our contract smallholder farmers.
Another key point was the need for stronger collaboration across the entire value chain – from farmers to exporters – to create better market opportunities and stronger infrastructure together.
The development and expansion of local processing capacities was also addressed. It became clear that the sector in Kenya needs to continue working toward retaining more value creation within the country – through targeted support for processing and better infrastructure.
Expert Talks on Sustainability, Value Creation, and Traceability
Strong Interest in Traceability and Organic Certification
Our commitment to full transparency and traceability was particularly well received by conference visitors: with our in-house developed software, we can trace the full journey of our products – something that sparked great interest at our booth. Our consistent organic certification from the very beginning and close collaboration with thousands of smallholder farmers were also met with positive feedback. Many visitors showed interest in our sustainable sourcing practices and our direct relationships with farmers.
A Smallholder Farmer's Perspective: Why Presence Matters
One conversation with a local farmer moved us. He shared that he sees the active participation of processors like LIMBUA in the conference as an encouraging sign – making high-quality Kenyan products more visible. For us, this was a clear indication of how important it is to be present and engage directly with the people.
The Macadamia Conference was a space for exchange, new ideas, and further expanding our role as a bridge between smallholder-grown organic products and the international organic market. We are already looking forward to the next conversations – and to what we can move together in the industry.
