NAIROBI, October 23 (Xinhua). Kenya’s craftsmen want to learn Chinese technology to increase their productivity, the industry lobby announced on Friday.
Richard Muteti, Kenya’s National Federation of Jua Kali Associations, told Xinhua in Nairobi that one of the main complaints in the market is the quality of the sector’s finished goods, which cannot compete with imports.
“We are looking for an institutional way to incorporate the Chinese system so that our employees can learn the latest technology that will improve the competitiveness of their products,” Muteti said.
He noted that 18 sectors have been identified, including carpentry and metalworking, that can benefit from modern technology from China.
Muteti said artisans and small home industries provide most of the job opportunities in the country.
He added that the sector faces numerous hurdles as they are largely confined to the informal sector, which has difficulty obtaining loans from formal financial institutions.
“Our members cannot afford tools that are imported to improve the quality of their products,” he added.
“We would like to take a delegation of Kenyan artisans to China to see how the small home industries work there and to learn valuable lessons,” Muteti said.
He added that local artisans are already familiar with Chinese goods, which are preferred because they meet the needs of local consumers.
According to the lobby group, local artisans are the main beneficiaries of Chinese contractors carrying out our large infrastructure projects in the country.
“We make a living by supplying contractors with products like windows and doors,” he added. End item.
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