The Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC) has issued a call to action, urging immediate measures to combat food safety issues plaguing Uganda's grain industry. This crisis poses a significant threat to the country's food security and regional trade prospects. The EAGC, in collaboration with the Confederation of Danish Industries (DI), hosted a Public-Private Engagement Forum in Kampala to address these pressing concerns.
The forum gathered a diverse range of stakeholders, including government officials, private sector representatives, development partners, and academics, to brainstorm solutions for enhancing grain trade safety and competitiveness. Mr. Herbert Kyeyamwa, Country Director of EAGC and AgroWays Uganda Limited, highlighted the devastating impact of food contamination, emphasizing the financial losses incurred by Uganda's grain sector.
According to Kyeyamwa, over 60% of maize in recent years has contained toxins exceeding safe limits, leading to public health risks, trade disruptions, and economic setbacks. Uganda is estimated to lose approximately USD 8 million annually in export and trade opportunities due to food contamination. He shared a compelling anecdote about a wind turbine installation project that suffered substantial losses after contaminated dog feed caused the death of security dogs, resulting in a six-month delay and an additional cost of €36,000.
Kyeyamwa advocated for the robust implementation of Uganda's National Action Plan for Aflatoxin Control (2019) and urged stakeholders to transform existing strategies into tangible, funded, and monitored programs. He emphasized the need to bridge infrastructure gaps, embrace new technologies, and foster partnerships to ensure food safety as a collective responsibility.
Paul Ochuna, Country Programs Manager at EAGC, provided insights into the organization's regional efforts and the challenges hindering Uganda's grain competitiveness. Aflatoxin contamination, he noted, affects over 60% of maize, resulting in lost trade opportunities valued at over USD 38 million. Ochuna underscored the EAGC's commitment to structured trading systems, grain business hubs, and policy advocacy to strengthen the sector.
Dr. Alexander Ssamula, representing the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries (MAAIF), highlighted government initiatives to enhance grain quality and trade compliance. These efforts include subsidizing inputs, mechanization, expanding storage capacity, and connecting farmers with large-scale buyers. However, Ssamula acknowledged ongoing challenges, such as limited laboratory infrastructure, low awareness, and inadequate financing for quality assurance.
Ian Figgins, Logistics Officer at the World Food Programme (WFP), linked Uganda's grain safety agenda to global hunger and development goals. He emphasized the importance of partnerships in achieving the WFP's mission to serve 124 million people worldwide. Figgins highlighted Uganda's vast agricultural potential, valued at USD 2.2 billion, and warned that food safety failures jeopardize this potential.
Alex Njeru, Regional Project Manager at DI, stressed the significance of supporting farmers and small enterprises at the grassroots level. He outlined DI's partnership with the Eastern Africa Development Fund (EADF), which has directly impacted 365 farmers and trained over 14,000 participants in Kenya and Uganda. Njeru emphasized the focus on sustainable production, bio-solutions, and innovations like solar-powered green grain drying systems.
The forum served as a catalyst for collaborative efforts to enhance food safety, aflatoxin control, and structured grain trade across East Africa. Participants included officials from MAAIF, UNBS, MTIC, and NARO, as well as private sector actors, processors, development partners, and grain business hubs, all committed to unlocking Uganda's agricultural potential through collective action.
