About Us
Welcome and thank you for your interest in the Lake Naivasha Growers’ Group (LNGG).
We are one of the few voluntary associations of growers in the world striving to balance commercial and environmental sustainability. Since registration in 1997, LNGG has striven to ensure that growers’ interests are represented in the management of Lake Naivasha and its environs.
Lake Naivasha is a RAMSAR site and as such, a wetland of international importance. However, it is unique in that, unlike other RAMSAR sites, Lake Naivasha is not protected by fences, but is in fact under commercial use.
The Naivasha region is known internationally for its large horticulture sector, the largest in all of Kenya. In fact, over 70% of the roses exported to the EU markets come from Naivasha. The horticultural sector of Naivasha employs over 30000 people directly, thereby having a very positive impact on the livelihood of fellow Kenyans.
However, with great achievement also comes great responsibility.
To this end, LNGG has an explicit mission to promote the conservation of the natural resources in and around Lake Naivasha, thereby ensuring the commercial sustainability of the areas horticultural growers, through the fostering of best farming practices amongst its members for the benefit of all stakeholders.
Our Mission
The lake Naivasha Growers’ group recognizes that Lake Naivasha Is a Ramsar site and therefore, a wetland of international importance. The environment is unique and as such, LNGG promotes the conservation of natural resources in and around Lake Naivasha, whilst ensuring that commercial sustainability of the region is upheld, by fostering best farming practices amongst its members for the benefit of all stakeholders
Our Policy
LNGG members are governed by a code of paractice
The aim of the code is to guarantee that crops are grown under sustainable environmental conditions, with a focus on sustainable developments that provide for a safer and better environment, which includes water, land, air, flora, fauna, and the human labour force. It acts as an educational tool, setting out the Best Management Practices in detail as a means to protect and conserve our valuable resource. It also requires that all farms adhere to the relevant laws of Kenya that govern the sector.
The CoP has a section on the responsibility of the farm owner. These responsibilities include the need for an Environment Management Plan / Policy and constant training and instruction of staff. It also includes a section with guidelines on protecting and rehabilitating riparian land (land below the 1889 masl contour) borrowed from the Lake Naivasha Riparian Association (LNRA). The most important of these guidelines is avoiding any cultivation, building of permanent structures, and dumping in this area. Further, a buffer strip of a minimum 100m from the edge of the water is to be maintained regardless of where the riparian line occurs and no fertiliser or pesticide is to be directly released into any water course or riparian area. All members are to obtain and maintain their Pest Control Products Board licenses and follow good practice with respect to acquisition, mixing, application, and use of pest control products. They are encouraged, where possible, to use alternative pest control methods. Their staff is to have appropriate protective clothing at all times. Basic conservation practices are to be adhered to and wildlife and indigenous flora are to be encouraged. Water management is a major part of the CoP and farms are to take every step to ensure that water is carefully used and where possible recycled and/or harvested. LNGG also collects water use data from all its members as a means of monitoring overall water used from the lake and aquifers.