Nakuru: The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) is implementing a raft of policies and initiatives to actively promote the use of eco-friendly technologies, ethical business practices, and resource-efficient processes within the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) ecosystem.
According to Kenya News Agency, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises are now enjoying a graduated, tiered payment structure for all services offered by the standards body to make quality assurance and certification more affordable following the major policy reforms geared at supporting the sector’s growth.
KEBS South Rift Regional Manager Engineer Josephat Bangi said they had developed the special payment package to support the MSME sector that employs approximately 14.9 million Kenyans to enhance its sustainability in producing high-quality products accessible to local and global markets.
Engineer Bangi explained that when an MSME applies for certification for one product, KEBS is able to give certification to two other products free of charge and that unlike larger firms, MSMEs do not pay for product testing and factory inspection.
He was optimistic that MSMEs would form a very strong backbone of the economy going forward as 80 percent of employment in the country comes from MSMEs, which only contributes around 30-35 GDP, adding that this could be improved if they are given the right environment, facilitated and capacitated to graduate from micro to small and medium to the large firms.
‘We have heard our stakeholders and customers and we are aware that the MSMEs sector is disadvantaged in comparison to larger businesses and we have undertaken to provide discounted rates and charges for players in the MSMEs sector,’ the official assured.
Speaking at KEBS exhibition stand at this year’s Nakuru Agricultural Show during a sensitization session for players in the sector, Engineer Bangi pointed out that they were charging a certification fee of Sh10,000 for an MSME product that is certified for two years, adding that they had unveiled an innovation pipeline workshop where they were training MSMEs on how to register once they begin their manufacturing process.
The innovation pipeline workshop, he elaborated, provides MSMEs with a platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and mentorship through partnerships with various organizations and initiatives such as exhibitions.
The region manager stated that the workshop was dedicated to providing comprehensive support to MSMEs and that these efforts empower industry stakeholders to identify emerging trends and collectively address industry challenges, propelling MSMEs towards greater competitiveness and relevance in the global market.
The Engineer affirmed that KEBS was devoted to fostering a culture of innovation among MSMEs adding that through strategic partnerships, they were enhancing their relevance towards strengthening Kenya’s position as a hub for innovation-driven businesses.
He said KEBS was guiding the entrepreneurs on the processes until the product hits the shelf in addition to training them free of charge on how they could comply with standards to facilitate better market access of the MSMEs products.
He said KEBS was also providing market surveillance to ensure quality MSMEs products in the marketplace.
The Regional Manager said they were also encouraging MSMEs to produce high-quality products and embrace licensing as this is crucial to ensure effective trade facilitation for Kenyan products in the regional market and beyond.
Figures from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) indicate that there are over 7.4 million MSMEs in the country, the majority of which fall in the informal sector and are said to have previously been paying applicable rates at the same rate as established corporates.
Conscious of the challenges facing upcoming entrepreneurs including access to affordable financing options, the application of graduated fees, Engineer Bangi said will help promote standards compliance.
He added that KEBS was also fostering Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) use among MSMEs and increasing IPR-related skills through education and training and upskilling them on Quality Management Systems (QMS) to ensure their products and services meet the acceptable standards that are required in the market.
The public at the same time, was sensitized on the need to verify the authenticity of products in the market through sending an SMS of the KEBS standardization mark of quality code to 2023.
Bangi explained that the government was keen to support innovation, develop certification standards for new products and certify them, register the product and obtain certification after which one automatically gets enrolled in the Kenya Quality Awards, provided the product is genuinely Kenyan made and uniquely from your region.
The MSMEs owners were urged to be keen on the aspects of quality and customer satisfaction through observing costs of good quality like planning, maintenance, training, audits, and others while at the same time minimizing the costs of bad quality which include rework, low-quality image, warranty claims, customer returns, delays, and others.
Engineer Bangi pointed out that to excel in the market, the MSMEs need to embrace the seven key quality management principles of customer focus, leadership, engagement with people, process approach, improvement, evidence-based decision-making, and relationships management with interested parties in order to identify their needs and expectations.
This year’s Nakuru Agricultural show is themed ‘Promoting Climate-Smart Agriculture and Trade Initiatives for Sustainable Economic Growth’.
