Dr. Wachira Maina

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent Pesticide use in Kenya is only slightly older than 100 years

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent The main widely used pesticide were use in 1906 for tick control on livestock

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent

Due to over use of the products and in wide areas, resistance set in and has continued to develop and thereby herald the introduction of newer molecules.

Currently new molecules are a

mirage

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent

All over the world and particularly in the sub-sahara Africa, it is the over use of land with one crop over a period that has helped the multiplication of pests in a given commercial region for both crop animal industry.

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent

The advent of colonial regimes in Africa and the transition to internal independence “self governance” have played havoc to the status of supply and distribution of any intervention chemicals in Africa

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent

Independence in Africa started with Liberia in 1847. Most of self governance happened between 1951 (Libya) and 1975 (Angola).

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent

Where liberation was followed by civil war, little can be said about commercial activity in agriculture except by government managed systems. It will be a few years before a vibrant agribusiness can arise.

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent

Where liberation was followed by some resemblance of peace, commercial activity in agricultural systems have evolved though partly also complicated by aggressive land subdivision resulting to subsistence farming.

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent

•Independence = land subdivision = subsistence farming •These is not an economic venture •Distribution and mounting a supply chain into a subsistence livelihood is the main challenge which Governments have continued to battle with. •Governments are never the best agents of change from a social to a commercial system

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent •Where Governments are still supporting the subsistence farming, the supply chains are heavily dependent on Government tenders and supply systems •Characterized by: 1. Inefficiencies 2. Wastage / pilferages 3. Slow development

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent •Governments are never the best agents of change from a social/ subsistence to a commercial system. •Credit must be given to private entrepreneurs and None Governmental Organizations (NGO), that have mounted programs that try to reverse the objectives of activities in the rural area into commercial activities. •Example: in Kenya

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent •Example: in Kenya 1. Milk production in 1963 ( immediate post independence period) was just under 800 mio Lt. In 2012 the production stood at 5billion lt. 2. This story is the same for maize, wheat and meat products

•It is this kind of economically viable production systems that become indicators for where “Supply and Distribution” systems will thrive.

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent

Pesticides Manufacturers all over the world formulate pesticides targeting markets where usage is economically viable for business of pesticides.

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent

1. Manufacture of Pesticides in the sub-sahara Africa is mainly happening in South Africa. 2. In the east, central and western Africa, Pesticides are mainly imported ready for use (or for easy dilution just before application)

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent

1. The distribution and supply chain management of pesticides has several challenges: 1.1 Registration: - Pesticides are regulation in - varying degree and intensity. - Operation in more than one country in eastern Africa have the task of identifying the regulatory requirements and comply.

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent 2. Safety: the use of pesticides requires a level of safety measures initially dictated by the level of toxicity of the products but further dictated by the consumers. Where the use of the pesticide is of international commercial level, the safety requirements may be dictated by authorities well beyond the registrants in the local individual countries.

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent 3. Proper use: the level of literacy is paramount in the interpretation of what are the appropriate methods of handling a pesticide. It is this not just whether the labels are appropriate but beyond the label, the question of internalizing the need to properly use and apply the pesticide is related to level of literacy in the region.

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent 4. Affordability: the poverty index in the region is quite high compared to other regions in the world. This dictates the land use parcel size and crop type. In terms of distribution of the pesticides, the smaller the parcels of land the smaller the pack sizes that are used to deliver the pesticides to the farms.

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent

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The stake holders have a reason to look for platforms for decision making: 1. To find the most efficient Chemical production systems closer to the industry. 2. The most economical distribution systems – passing the advantages to the farmer 3. Finding the safest methods of operating with chemicals as the necessary evil for now

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent

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Speaking for Africa today: 1. Collaboration with India and China is currently the most sexy business lifestyle. 2. Managing to find partners where quality will be assured is the main challenge that new partnership seekers have to contend with. 3. Business is a love story (Not a marriage)– one has to be always ready to change with the business trends when the tide changes (They always change).

Distribution and supply Chain Management – Importance in the African Continent

Use this forum wisely and may all our businesses thrive in 2013 going forward.

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