As part of the Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution (SMEP) programme, UNCTAD supported a two-day workshop on eco-tanning processes in Kenya and the East African Region in Aug 2023. The event, which brought together various stakeholders along the leather value chain, regulatory agencies, research and academic institutions, supports the SMEP procurement call for solutions that address environmental pollution emanating from the Tanneries and Leather sectors.
The hybrid event was sponsored by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and co-organized by UNCTAD, the Technical University of Kenya (TUK), the Kenyan State Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and the Tanners Association of Kenya (TAK).
The two-day event focused on new eco-tanning technologies and environmental challenges associated with tanneries and not allowed for building institutional capacities and strengthening regional networks, but furthermore showcased new and innovative research and technologies that can spearhead cleaner production of leather, encourage circular processes and ways in which to growth the local industry.
For more information on the workshop, please visit UNCTAD’s and TUK’s respective news posts here and here.
