The Kenya Leather Development Policy, 2021 underscores the need to strengthen participation of MSEs into the leather industry value chain as a strategy to support growth of the leather industry. The leather sector value chain commences with farm/livestock subsector; abattoirs, slaughterhouses and trades of raw hides and skins; tanneries; leather manufacturers and trades of finished leather and leather products. Integration of the MSEs into the leather industry value chains provide opportunities for technology and skills transfer, innovation and strengthening capabilities to compete through ‘doing by learning’ (Reddy & Sasidharan, 2020). The concept of value chain integration by MSEs relates to how they participate as producers/suppliers or traders of goods and services at various components of the value chain.
The overall objective of the study is to assess the status of integration of Kenyan MSEs into the leather industry value chain, assess the constraints faced and draw lessons from other countries. The specific objectives of the study are to:
- Assess the status of integration of MSEs into the leather industry value chain in Kenya
- Analyse constraints to integration of MSEs into the leather industry value chain in Kenya
- Draw lessons from other economies on integrating MSEs into the leather industry value chain