On an agri-themed visit to Kenya this week, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney was on ribbon-cutting duties for two Irish companies developing their business in the east African country.

The minister opened the new regional office of MagGrow, a startup emerged out of UCD four years ago that uses magnetic technology to make sprays stick to crops and reduce drift.

MagGrow is one of the companies funded by the Government’s African Agri-Food Development Programme, alongside Devenish and Valid Nutrition.

The minister also attended the signature of an agreement between Donegal-based International Potato Marketing and Kevian Kenya for the supply of high-yielding varieties of Irish certified potato to Kenyan farmers.

Coveney and his Kenyan counterpart Willy Bett signed a new strategy for agri-food cooperation between Ireland and Kenya, which the Irish embassy in Nairobi will implement in cooperation with Teagasc and Enterprise Ireland.

Despite a fraught election process and violence in recent weeks, Kenya remains east Africa’s economic and agricultural powerhouse.