Rift Seed Valley hybrid seed production 2.0 in Kenya The applicant, C.G. Zuurbier and Co International B.V. was established in 2001 and is active in the handling and sales of cut flowers from Kenya. The local partner, Bilashaka Flowers Ltd was established in 2001 and is based in Naivasha. Bilashaka Flowers Ltd produces around 60 million stems of cut roses a year. The company has 600 employees of whom 50% is female. With the growing competition the market of cut roses has become increasingly difficult. This situation made the local partner look for ways to diversify. They carried out trials with new techniques and other flower crops in the past to explore new opportunities. A promising opportunity was offered by Syngenta in 2011. This buyer was actively looking for reliable and capable farms in East Africa for the production of hybrid determinate tomato seed. The modern production process and facilities, the experienced management, the available knowledge and sustainable farming experiences were the reasons why the partners were approached for a trial.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)The partners already have a broad set of CSR certificates which will also be applied to the new project. A Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will regulate aspects like maternity leave, minimum wage and social security. The local partner is already compliant with Kenya Flower Council-silver (KFC-silver), Fair Flowers Fair Plants (FFP), GlobalGAP and Fairtrade. This forms a social code of practice and will be a starting point for the composition of the CSR. Another target will be to work with GSPP standards (Good Seed and Plant Practices).Other issues that will be addressed and included in the policy: tribalism in order to prevent tribal issues, annual refreshment training for all staff members on technical aspects and social aspects (family planning, HIV prevention, first aid etc), access to the existing library for all employees.Measures to prevent corruption, bureaucracy and red tape will also be taken. A CSR policy for the joint venture is planned to be published in the first project result.Partner Syngenta already has a CSR policy in place with high standards to which all producers have to comply, dealing with issues like working hours, child labour, freedom of association and discrimination. In the contract to be signed between the partners and Syngenta these issues will be included.Impact•	Employment and working conditionsAll the employees will receive permanent contracts, starting with 1 month probation time. The salaries paid will be at least 30% more than the minimum wage agreed in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The local partner is already paying this amount. Next to their wages, all employees will receive one free meal per day, free health insurance, access to a cooperative saving system (micro finance), access to primary and secondary schools and health clinic in the neighbourhood. Changing rooms with lockers, sanitary rooms and other facilities will be put in place for all new employees. Employees will put on the available protective clothing (PPE) in the sterilisation units, attached to the greenhouse. Labour issues can be reported to the workers representatives of the union, the supervisor and the HR manager. These issues will be discussed with relevant management and solutions will be found.•	Innovation / Transfer of knowledgeThe farm is the first out grower of hybrid tomato seeds in Kenya.The required production process is new for the country.Statement from the Embassy: Production of hybrid determinate tomato seeds is new to Kenya. These seeds are not produced locally, but normally imported from other countries outside Africa. The proposed project is to produce these seeds of high quality year-round using high-tech facilities and production processes that are not yet seen in Kenya. In East Africa, there are three hybrid vegetable seed production companies owned by seed breeders, who produce other seeds than determinate tomato seeds.•	Chain effectsImpact on local suppliersThe most important local suppliers are distributors of pumice substrate, fertiliser, chemical and biological crop protection supplies.Impact on local customers or consumersThe customer is Syngenta Seeds B.V. who buys the produced seeds. Syngenta processes the seeds and checks the quality in the Netherlands and resells them world-wide.Part of the seed will undoubtedly find its way back to Kenya as African countries form the fastest growing market for the bush tomato.•	Impact on the sectorKenya has a major potential to produce high quality hybrid vegetable seed. Besides Syngenta, also other seed breeding companies are looking for outgrowers in Kenya. This project can deliver valuable experiences how to take advantage of this opportunity. Seed breeding companies have the strategy to contract several seed producers on different locations for reasons of risk spreading. This means that replicating the business concept will be possible for other horticultural producers. By initiating a knowledge network within the project, the experiences from the project will be shared with the sector and Kenyan institutes. Important aspects will be sharing experiences on all aspects related to high-tech farming, phytosanitary control, and quality management. The partners will start working on the knowledge network from the start of the project.•	EnvironmentThe partners will minimise the environmental impact of their activities. As one of the very few farms, the local partner is already collecting all rainwater from the greenhouse roofs in big basins. This water harvesting results in minimising the interaction with the groundwater and all water is used efficiently. Water demand has decreased with significant quantities using hydroponics cultivation. The excess drainage water is collected filtered and re-used, so a 100% closed water cycle is achieved. The impact on the environment is therefore very limited. The company is updating environmental impact assessments through the annually required audit. A set of objectives, which are reviewed regularly are evaluated to ensure that environmental goals are continually met.•	Position of women65% of the employees will be female. While hiring, special attention will be given to women in management positions, the partners intend to have twelve women (7%) in medium to high positions.•	Impact on food safetyThe project has positive impact on the world wide issue of food security. The production of these hybrid tomato seeds means high productive vegetables can be grown in subtropical semi-arid areas in the world, for instance in East Africa, but also in areas like Latin America, Tunisia and Turkey. In Africa, not only professional growers, but also smallholders are gaining access to improved technology and hybrid seeds. Particularly the determinate tomato seeds are suitable for these types of farming.The largest market increase will take place in Africa and the Middle East, for these regions the demand for bush tomato seeds in Africa and the Middle East is expected to grow substantially in 2018.•	Impact on waterThe project shows an example on how water consumption can be reduced in an economic way within the Naivasha basin. To set up a seed production facility consisting of six greenhouses for the production of 2,025 kg of determinate hybrid tomato seeds per year.