East Africa's grain market is set to thrive with new grant

Trade Mark Africa grants $2 million to Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to boost grain exports.
The funding is part of a $75 million partnership with the US Agency for International Development.
East Africa Grain Council collaborates to strengthen grain business hubs, empower SMEs, and address challenges in the grain value chain.

A report by the Kenyan news publication The Star shows that the three-year funding is part of a five-year $75 million (Sh12.1 billion) cooperation between the US Agency for International Development's Economic Recovery and Reform Activity program and TradeMark Africa, which is supported by Feed the Future.

The CEO of Trade Mark Africa, David Beer, noted that one of the primary functions of the grant is to help drive the competitiveness of export-oriented staple food value chains within the regional market.

The sub-continent currently suffers from low grain production which has hampered its potential to become a major player in the global grain supply chain. Other factors such as poor post-harvest management, compliance with international standards, and climate pressures, have affected the market.

These challenges in turn contribute to “the low competitiveness of its staples in regional markets, reduced cross-border trade, production deficits, and post-harvest losses that threaten the region’s food security,” according to The Star’s report.

To this effect, the CEO noted that this facility, in partnership with the East Africa Grain Council (EAGC), will help tackle difficulties, reduce trade barriers, and strengthen grain exporters' capacities in three nations throughout export value chains including maize, beans, millet, sorghum, and rice.

“This includes spearheading innovative strategies such as Grain Business Hubs, or G-Hubs. These are operated by farmers, who will leverage technology to improve grain quality and drive up trade,” said Beer.

EAGC is set to aid over 80 SMEs in successfully complying with Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) requirements, which control the health of animals and plants that are traded.

It will also follow Standards Quality Infrastructure (SQI) guidelines for quality, health and safety systems, and environmental protection. These are essential to their capacity to export, while establishing an information center to aid in shaping national and regional food balance sheets by granting access to real-time data and insights.

"By fortifying grain business hubs and enhancing the capacities of SMEs, we are building a foundation for sustained growth," EAGC executive director Gerald Masila.