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Kenya to train leather tannery workers
20 Jun '11
2 min read
Kenya's Ministry of Livestock plans to train two youth from every tannery at the Animal Health Training Institute. This was stated by Mr. Kenneth Lusaka, Livestock Permanent Secretary, while laying the foundation for a mini-leather tannery in Bungoma County.
The training would help the youth to learn skills for efficiently managing the tanneries. The trained personnel would, in turn, train the workers in their tanneries. This would help in generating employment and wealth in rural areas.
The new mini-leather tannery is being set up with an aim to revitalize the troubled leather industry in Kenya. The tannery would facilitate the animal breeders from North Rift region and Western province, who are now selling away their livestock at cheaper prices.
Mr. Lusaka said that the leather industry has been continuously contributing around four percent to the country's agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and around 1.5 percent to the national GDP.
He said that the earnings of the leather industry grew from Sh3.15 billion in 2005 to Sh4.02 billion in 2008, which indicates that the sector is ready to take a leap, and cited this as the reason for more farmers to join the leather sector.
He highlighted that by setting up new tanneries, the Government wants to uplift the living standards of the rural people by assisting them to be a part of the leather production ventures. The Government has already sanctioned Sh100 million for setting up three medium-sized tanneries in rural regions.
Mr. Lusaka further mentioned that value-addition is the best way to exploit the vast potential of the multi-billion dollar leather industry. The contribution of the leather sector to Kenya's GDP can be nearly doubled and new job opportunities can be generated by value-addition, he added.
The training would help the youth to learn skills for efficiently managing the tanneries. The trained personnel would, in turn, train the workers in their tanneries. This would help in generating employment and wealth in rural areas.
The new mini-leather tannery is being set up with an aim to revitalize the troubled leather industry in Kenya. The tannery would facilitate the animal breeders from North Rift region and Western province, who are now selling away their livestock at cheaper prices.
Mr. Lusaka said that the leather industry has been continuously contributing around four percent to the country's agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and around 1.5 percent to the national GDP.
He said that the earnings of the leather industry grew from Sh3.15 billion in 2005 to Sh4.02 billion in 2008, which indicates that the sector is ready to take a leap, and cited this as the reason for more farmers to join the leather sector.
He highlighted that by setting up new tanneries, the Government wants to uplift the living standards of the rural people by assisting them to be a part of the leather production ventures. The Government has already sanctioned Sh100 million for setting up three medium-sized tanneries in rural regions.
Mr. Lusaka further mentioned that value-addition is the best way to exploit the vast potential of the multi-billion dollar leather industry. The contribution of the leather sector to Kenya's GDP can be nearly doubled and new job opportunities can be generated by value-addition, he added.
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