The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) has partnered with the Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC) to conduct training of stakeholders in the grain sub sector in Kenya.
The partnership mooted between the two organizations has been necessitated by the need to improve the standards in the management of grains along the marketing value chain and ensure that only high-quality grains are available for trade and consumption by the public.
According to the two organizations, this will also be supporting the government’s efforts towards providing safe and wholesome food as espoused in Food and Nutrition Security Pillar of the Big Four Agenda.
The partnership will see NCPB and EAGC establish centres of excellence for training on Grain Handling and Management in various parts of the country, with the first Centre being jointly established in Nakuru at the NCPB Nakuru grain silos.
The Managing Director of NCPB, Joseph Kimote said that NCPB has grain storage facilities across the country that offer perfect sites for practical training.
“We also have experienced staff with the requisite technical and practical skills in post-harvest management; elements which are critical for providing high quality training for value chain actors,” he said.
The targeted groups for the training will include farmers, cooperatives, grain warehouse operators, traders, commodity graders, new NCPB staff recruits, governments both national and county, and financial institutions.
The courses to be offered at the Centres of Excellence include stock & storage facility management, inventory financial & collateral management, grain quality management, fumigation & pest control among others.
Executive Director of EAGC, Gerald Masila said that in the partnership the institute will scale up the training courses for the NCPB staff and other stakeholders in the Grain Value Chain in Kenya for improved services to farmers and consumers.
“EAGC mandate is to facilitate efficient structured inclusive and profitable grain trade and this requires trained and competent practitioners hence the reason why EAGC established the Grain Trade Institute accredited by the National Industrial Training Agency (NITA), and a registered examination Centre by the Kenya National Examinations Council for supply chain courses,” Masila said.
NCPB trades commercially in grains, provides grain post-harvest services, deals in fertilizer and other farm inputs like seeds, and offers clearing and forwarding services, while the Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC) is an organization representing those involved in the grain trade in Eastern Africa.
By Wangari Ndirangu
