EAGC, Danish Industry and KAM launch SAVI Programme to strengthen sustainable and competitive value chains

Nairobi, Kenya - 11 June 2026

The Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC), in partnership with Danish Industry (DI) and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), has launched the Sustainable African Value Chain Initiative (SAVI), a three-year programme aimed at helping businesses improve sustainability, competitiveness, and access to regional and international markets.

Supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark , SAVI will support businesses across the grain and manufacturing sectors to strengthen Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance, decarbonisation, water stewardship, EUDR compliance, and sustainable value chain management.

The programme comes at a time when sustainability is increasingly becoming a business requirement. Customers, investors, financiers, and regulators are demanding greater transparency, responsible business practices, and measurable sustainability performance, making ESG compliance a key driver of competitiveness, investment readiness, and market access.

Speaking during the launch, Jacinta Mwau, Head of Programmes at EAGC, noted that EAGC is supporting businesses through structured training, technical assistance, and business advisory services to help them integrate sustainability into their operations."Businesses that fail to adapt risk losing competitiveness, missing premium market opportunities, and facing growing challenges in accessing finance," she said.

Jesper Friis, Director, Global Development and Partnerships at Danish Industry, emphasized that sustainability is increasingly shaping global trade and investment decisions while also creating opportunities for businesses to improve efficiency, transparency, and resilience.

Joyce Njogu, Head of Consulting and Sustainability at KAM, observed that sustainability is reshaping consumer preferences and market requirements, creating opportunities for businesses that successfully balance profitability with responsible business practices.

The launch builds on the successful implementation of SAVI capacity-building workshops, including recent ESG and decarbonisation trainings, where participating companies reported increasing requests from customers and investors for sustainability reports, emissions disclosures, and Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs), underscoring the growing business case for sustainability.

The event also marked the launch of the Mahindi Initiative, a complementary programme supported by Danish Industry that seeks to strengthen competitiveness across Kenya's maize value chain from farm to fork. The initiative will promote sustainable production practices, reduce post-harvest losses, improve productivity, and enhance the availability of safe and quality food.

SAVI builds on the ongoing DI-EAGC Strategic Partnership Agreement focused on optimizing grain value chains in Kenya and Uganda. Through the programme, partners seek to reduce operational costs for grain businesses, increase profitability, create employment opportunities, and generate positive social and environmental impact within local communities.

Over the next three years, SAVI is expected to strengthen sustainability performance, improve operational efficiency, enhance climate resilience, and unlock new market opportunities for businesses across the grain and manufacturing sectors, contributing to more competitive and sustainable African value chains.