The Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC), in collaboration with Trademark Africa (TMA), launched a three-year project on “Strengthening Competitiveness in Export-Oriented Staple Food Value Chains in East Africa” on the 5th of April in Kampala. This project is funded under the USAID-funded “Economic Recovery and Resilience Activities (ERRA)” program, implemented by TMA, and will boost export-oriented staple grains trade in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda – with Kenya being the destination market and Tanzania and Uganda as suppliers due to their surplus production.
This project is particularly significant given the volatility and gradual decline that has characterized the region’s trade in food commodities. Numerous challenges, such as minimal aggregation, informal trading, and limited integration of farmers into formal trade, contribute to substantial transactional costs. Furthermore, the absence of adequate storage and quality management infrastructure, a deficiency in post-harvest handling expertise, and a scarcity of information about export markets aggravate these issues.
Attended by over eighty stakeholders of the staple grains value chain actors, the project aims to achieve several objectives. Firstly, it seeks to strengthen farmer-operated grain business hubs (G-Hubs), enabling them to utilize technology to enhance grain production, quality, and trade. Additionally, the project aims to develop enterprise-level capacities and institutional mechanisms to scale up Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) standards and quality compliance, thereby increasing exportoriented grain trade. Furthermore, it aims to establish and enhance an information hub to inform
regional food balance sheets and shape national and regional food security and trade policies, fostering
an enabling regulatory environment for trade.
Giving his remarks, Gerald Masila, Executive Director of EAGC, conveyed his enthusiasm for the project’s commencement, underlining its alignment with EAGC’s mission to champion an enabling environment for structured grain trade, maximizing benefits for all stakeholders. He underscored the anticipated advantages of the project for the sector, which encompass enhanced production, increased access to agricultural finance, capacity building, mentorship in SPS and quality compliance, andstrengthened trade connections.
Speaking at the launch, David Mutazindwa the chairman of EAGC’s Board of Directors, highlighted EAGC’S vision to be the leading voice for the grain industry in Africa; he emphasized that through the project, EAGC will amplify export-oriented market access, empower smallholder farmers with the necessary skills and resources, enhance firms’ export capabilities, and foster collaboration to improve the policy environment.
Robert Mwanje, the chairman of The Grain Council of Uganda (TGCU) emphasized Uganda’s significant agricultural potential, noting that the country produces an excess compared to neighboring Zambia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. He referred to a statement made by Dr. Antonio FAO about 1.5 years ago, suggesting that if Uganda organized its agriculture effectively, it could feed the entire continent. Mr. Mwanje highlighted Uganda’s export capacity of 10,000 MT per day and storage facilities exceeding 1 million MT. However, he lamented that despite these capacities, the country is only operating at about 5%. Additionally, he pointed out that approximately 40% of the available production is lost due to post-harvest losses, indicating a significant challenge that needs to be addressed.
