In a joint effort involving the Danish government, the Danish Development Agency (DANIDA), and various organizations in Uganda and Denmark, the Integrated Grain Handling Project has been launched to assist rural communities in enhancing farming standards.
This initiative comes in response to recent concerns regarding the quality of grain, primarily maize. Maize supplies intended for COVID-19 relief, rejected by the Office of the Prime Minister, prompted similar actions from South Sudan and Kenya, who halted their grain imports from Uganda.
Furthermore, investigations revealed high concentrations of aflatoxins in several school food stores. Aflatoxins are toxic substances produced by specific fungi that thrive in damp or moist conditions on crops like maize.
The Integrated Grain Handling Project is designed to address challenges in the grain value chain, with a focus on improving farmer yields, post-harvest grain quality, and livelihoods by providing access to quality markets.
Denmark’s Ambassador to Uganda, Signe Winding Albjerg, highlighted the challenge posed by climate unpredictability, where dry weather can suddenly turn to rain, affecting grain drying. The program aims to address this issue as well.
The project will facilitate the supply and installation of post-harvest cleaning and drying equipment, whole grain milling, and seed cleaning machinery, with capacities ranging from 6.5 to 40 metric tonnes per day, provided by BM Silo, based on available financing.
Henrik Anker-Lagefoged, Regional Director at Access2Innovation, explained that the creation of storing and drying facilities at Kakiri, now owned by the Wekembe Cooperative Society, was driven by farmers’ inability to supply clean grain. He also highlighted the significant income disparity between farmers and middlemen or traders who purchase grain from them.
This program, initiated by “Access2innovation,” a Danish platform focusing on sustainable commercial solutions in African emerging markets, receives support from Danish companies BM Silo, Engsko, and Buurholt, as well as Ugandan partners Ag Ploutus and Opportunity International.
The project’s ultimate goal is to establish these facilities throughout Uganda’s grain-producing regions. However, the costs are a barrier for farmers and cooperatives, leading DANIDA to collaborate with financial institutions to connect them with lenders. They also provide training and access to markets and inputs.
Humphrey Mutaasa, Chief Technical Advisor at the Grain Council of Uganda, called for increased government involvement, including sector regulation, to complement private sector and development partner efforts. He emphasized the need for small-scale and appropriate technology agricultural systems in rural areas, empowering cooperatives to acquire larger facilities. The DANIDA partnership aims to provide rural farmers with improved drying and handling facilities, ultimately enhancing the quality of the country’s products for both local consumption and export markets.
