We have signed a partnership with the DI – Dansk Industri to enhance #sustainable and competitive #grainproduction and marketing for #foodsecurity and #jobcreation in Kenya.

The grain sector in Kenya accounts for the most important staple #foodcrops, estimated at 80% of most #diets and #nutritionalfoods for the majority of Kenyans. The sector is constrained by challenges including; #lowproductivity, inadequate #accesstomarket, high cost of doing business, limited flow of food commodities from surplus to deficit areas and #climatechange.

These challenges contribute to low #competitiveness of the grains produced in the regional markets and reduced #crossborder#trade ,weak organization and management of the primary grain producers, make attaining the economies of scale unattainable and farming systems unsustainable, leading to post harvest losses, and production deficits that threaten Kenya’s food security.

Speaking during the signing ceremony , Gerald Makau Masila ,the Executive Director of Eastern Africa Grain Council noted that “the partnership will complement the Council’s efforts in organizing grain farmers into Grain Trade Business Hubs(Ghubs) and strengthening existing Ghubs to consolidate their needs for #capacitybuilding, farm inputs,post-harvest handling materials, #grainstorage , #finance and favorable #markets for their farm produce.”

“We are pleased to partner with Eastern Africa Grain Council in improving the capacity of farmers to increase production and access to markets.” Said Klaus Lehn Christensen , DI – Dansk Industri Regional Director in East Africa.

The interventions will also seek to improve the capacity of #SME processors to access technology, skills and efficiency in #businessmanagement .Additionally ,the joint interventions will aim at improving knowledge on #grainquality#standards by working with value chain players to increase compliance through Industry #SelfRegulation (ISR).

Gerald Makau Masila further added that “the partnership would complement EAGC’s role in structuring trading systems in facilitating an assured supply of standard and quality-compliant grains across the value chain for improved #profitability and #sustainability of grain businesses.”