By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 20 April 2026 - Across the length and breadth of the country, a quiet but potentially transformative conversation is gathering pace—one that could redefine how Kenya trades with the world.
At its centre is the Kenya Industrial Property Institute and its Managing Director, John Onyango, who has embarked on an ambitious nationwide tour to rally farmers, innovators, and local communities behind the proposed Geographical Indications Bill, 2026.
From earlier engagements in Nairobi, Kiambu County and Kajiado County, the exercise has now swept through Nyanza, Northern Kenya, and the Rift Valley regions, culminating in a charged public participation forum at the Kisumu County Social Hall. There, amid a gathering of farmers and stakeholders, the message was delivered with clarity and urgency: Kenya must move beyond mere production to ownership of identity.
Onyango, measured yet emphatic, framed the Bill as a long-overdue intervention in a market where Kenyan produce is globally recognised yet insufficiently protected.
“Many of our farmers produce exceptional goods,” he observed, “but without branding, they cannot compete effectively in the global marketplace. This Bill seeks to ensure they are not only recognised but protected.”
His remarks underscored a persistent paradox—Kenya’s tea, coffee, and horticultural products enjoy global demand, yet often fetch less value than their potential warrants due to weak origin branding.
Standing alongside him was John Wanyonyi, representing the Principal Secretary for Trade and Industry, who reinforced the consultative nature of the process.
“We are out to collect and collate farmers’ views,” he said, signalling that the proposed law is intended to be shaped not in boardrooms, but in the fields and marketplaces where its impact will be most keenly felt.
At the heart of the discourse lies a powerful international comparison. Onyango invoked the enduring global prestige of brands from a specific region of France which are not merely products; but rather they are brands anchored in geographical indication,” he explained.
“That is precisely what we seek to introduce into the Kenyan market.”
The analogy is deliberate and strategic—France’s GI regime has elevated regional products into premium global commodities, a model Kenya now appears determined to emulate.
The implications for local economies are profound. By anchoring products to their geographical origins, the Bill aims to create distinct market identities for goods that are currently traded as undifferentiated commodities.
More from Kenya
Onyango pointed to specific examples with tangible potential: rice from Ahero in Kisumu County, sweet potatoes from Kasipul Kabondo in Homa Bay, bananas from Kisii, tea from Kericho, and coffee from Central Kenya. Each, he argued, possesses unique characteristics shaped by soil, climate, and tradition—attributes that, if properly codified and protected, could command premium prices on the global stage.
“This is about traceability and authenticity,” Onyango told the press.
“We want every product to be linked to its source, to carry with it the story of its origin, and to be recognised as such in international trade.” In essence, the Bill seeks to transform geography itself into a form of intellectual property—one that can be owned, defended, and monetised.
For farmers, the promise is both economic and existential. The proposed framework would enable producer groups to register geographical indications, enforce standards, and prevent misuse of their product names. It would also position the Kenya Industrial Property Institute not merely as a regulator, but as a facilitator—guiding communities through the processes of registration, branding, and market access.
Yet the road ahead is not without challenges. Unlike France, where GI systems are deeply entrenched and rigorously enforced, Kenya is at the threshold of building its regime from the ground up.
Success will depend not only on legislation, but on sustained institutional capacity, farmer awareness, and international recognition.
Even so, the momentum is unmistakable. With further engagements scheduled for Eldoret and the Coast region later this week, the nationwide consultations are steadily shaping a policy that could recalibrate Kenya’s position in global trade.
The Geographical Indications Bill, 2026 represents more than a legal reform—it is a statement of intent.
It signals a shift from exporting raw produce to exporting provenance, from competing on volume to competing on value. And if the vision articulated by Onyango and his team is realised, Kenya’s fields may soon yield not just crops, but globally recognised brands rooted firmly in the richness of their origins.