Green Growth Adoption, Practices and Challenges in Selected Textile Industries in Kenya
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Date
2025-01
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
Green growth practices are crucial for industries as they support the transition to sustainable environmental operations, safeguarding ecological services for future generations. This concept has gained prominence as a strategic framework to integrate sustainability into industrial operations, helping to mitigate pollution and optimize resource utilization. Although environmental sustainability and green growth initiatives have gained significant global attention across various manufacturing sectors limited focus has been directed toward Kenya’s textile industry. The general objective of this study was to examine green growth practices in selected textile manufacturing industry mills in Kenya. The specific objectives were to assess the awareness and implementation of green growth principles in fostering sustainable practices, identify current green initiatives, investigate barriers to their adoption, and evaluate the extent of sustainability reporting within these textile mills. The study adopted the traveling model theory and employed a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. A sample of 90 respondents was determined using the Nassiuma 2001 sampling formula. A mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative techniques was utilized for data collection. Data analysis, conducted through SPSS version 24, included descriptive statistics such as means, standard deviations, percentages, and frequencies and inferential analysis Chi-square tests, correlation analyses, and regression models to explore relationships between key variables. Findings revealed that although green growth practices are increasingly recognized in the textile industry, sustainability reporting remains largely confined to internal use and is rarely shared publicly. Major challenges to adopting green growth practices include market limitations and the high costs of eco-friendly technologies and products. Overall, green growth practices contributed to 53% of the observed advancements in sustainability within the textile sector. The study concludes that while the adoption of green growth practices in the textile industry is progressing, it remains constrained by inadequate stakeholder support, weak institutional frameworks, and limited policy alignment. The study recommends strengthening strategic partnerships within the textile sector, establishing Environmental Management Systems and Sustainability Departments, enhancing public sustainability reporting, expanding markets for locally produced textiles, and implementing supportive government policies to foster a comprehensive and sustainable transition toward green growth.
Description
A Thesis Submitted in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Masters in Environmental Studies and Community Development in the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences of Kenyatta University, January 2025.
Supervisors
1. Dorcas Beryl Otieno
2. Dr. Erick Kioko