By Antynet Ford
The Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) and Unilever Kenya have launched the 2024 Business Growth Program.
The 2024 Business Growth Program unfolds across seven modules, each crafted to address specific business needs with the overarching goal of enhancing SME competitiveness, expanding market reach, and fostering sustainable growth.
The modules will include the business growth strategy module whose aim will be to equip Growth-Oriented Enterprises (GOEs) with skills to formulate effective business strategies; Product Management and Diversification Strategies which will provide an effective method for identifying and developing market opportunities, translating them into tangible products, and managing product life cycles.
It will also entail market development and implementation strategies, focusing on moving from conceptualization to a competitive marketplace efficiently.
The manufacturing finance management module will be equipping Growth-Oriented Enterprises with skills in budgeting, working capital management, and financial analysis as the Strategic Supply Chain Management, focuses on optimizing the supply chain for adaptability and agility, especially post-COVID-19 disruptions.
Also, the modules will include Human Resource Management (HRM) which will look at the changing role of human resources with leadership development, talent management, labor laws, employment policies, and occupational health, and the Good Manufacturing Practices Module which will look at good manufacturing practices, their significance in ensuring product safety and wholesomeness and a review of participants’ current practices within businesses.
The program, which KAM kicked off in 2016, aims to provide manufacturing SMEs with the necessary tools, resources, and guidance to enhance their competitiveness, expand their market reach, and drive sustainable growth.
KAM Board Director and Manufacturing SME hub chair Ciiru Waweru-Waithaka noted that manufacturing SMEs play a critical role in providing innovative and unique products to citizens whilst contributing to the country’s socio-economic development goals, adding that it is the reason the Association continues to prioritize them.
“We have prioritized SMEs in our Manufacturing 20by30 Strategy that seeks to increase the manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP to 20% by 2030, subsequently, creating 1 million jobs.
Under the SME Development Pillar, we aim to provide a platform for SMEs to grow by progressively dismantling one-size-fits-all approaches to challenges facing them and finding more nuanced ways to intervene and uplift micro, small, and medium businesses.” She expounded.
Unilever supplier program diversity lead Rasoa Nekesa, urged manufacturing SMEs to source locally as they assist SMEs to scale up during this program.
“Unilever, in collaboration with KAM, has customized this program not only to assist SMEs scale up locally but also regionally and internationally. We are delighted to collaborate with KAM and expedite this initiative for our country.” She said.
KAM SME Hub was set up in 2019 to prepare, nurture, and grow manufacturing SMEs to take full advantage of the available markets, not only in Kenya but also regionally and internationally.