Harmonised standards, structured trade making Uganda reliable grain supplier in EAC

_______________

OPINION

By Robert Mwanje

Demand for safe, consistent and competitively priced grains across the East African Community (EAC) continues to grow, driven by rapid urbanisation, expanding agro-processing industries and deeper regional integration.

Uganda is already one of the region’s leading grain producers. The country produces an estimated 4 to 5 million metric tonnes of maize annually, with a surplus of about 1 million tonnes available for regional markets in good seasons. Uganda is also among the leading exporters of beans, producing roughly 800,000 metric tonnes each year, much of which is traded within the EAC. Kenya, South Sudan, Rwanda and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo remain key destinations.

However, for years, cross-border grain flows were constrained by inconsistent quality requirements, differing grading systems and disputes at border points. Alignment with EAC standards on moisture content, aflatoxin limits, grading and packaging has reduced uncertainty for traders, regulators and buyers. Yet despite harmonised standards at policy level, traders still face challenges arising from differing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for testing, grading and certification across borders. These differences often present as non-tariff barriers, increasing transaction costs and delays.

While regional millers sourcing grain from Uganda operate with greater confidence in the quality of supply, the absence of mutually recognised SOPs continues to undermine the full benefits of harmonisation. The Grain Council of Uganda (TGCU), through its participation in the National Coordinating Forum for the implementation of the National Grain Trade Policy, is actively advocating for the removal of such barriers. Recent progress includes the signing of a Mutual Recognition Agreement between Uganda and Kenya, with further engagements planned to harmonise SOPs for testing and grading of priority grain crops covered under the agreement.

The Enhancing Access to Markets for an Inclusive Agricultural Transformation in Eastern Uganda (EAMIAT) project, running from 2024 to 2027, represents one of the most structured interventions in Uganda’s grain sector in recent years. Funded by AGRA and implemented by the Private Sector Foundation Uganda, Kilimo Trust, Prince Wills, Stanbic Bank and TGCU, the initiative targets the high-production corridors of Busoga, Bugisu and Sebei, which are key gateways to Kenya and South Sudan, Uganda’s primary grain markets.

The project seeks to integrate 150,000 smallholder farmers into structured trade networks anchored by professional buyers and increase the volume of quality grain traded by 30 percent. It also aims to train 105,000 individuals in quality and standards compliance and increase warehouse utilisation by 50 percent. Value-chain actors are being trained in grain quality management, alongside the adoption of standardised warehouse and handling practices.

TGCU works closely with the Uganda National Bureau of Standards and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries to promote industry self-regulation and reform certification systems. One innovation is the Personnel Certification Scheme, which ha decentralised quality control by training and certifying private-sector personnel in sampling, moisture analysis and aflatoxin testing at aggregation hubs. Certification timelines that previously stretched to four months have been significantly reduced, enabling exporters to respond to market demand with greater speed and credibility.

Uganda now has more than 40 certified grain warehouses linked to structured trading systems, supporting quality assurance and traceability. There is a gradual shift from informal spot transactions, which once dominated the market and often resulted in price volatility, unreliable measurements and delayed payments. Warehouse receipt systems, contract-based trading and certified storage are replacing informality with more predictable systems. Farmers and traders can access financing using stored grain as collateral, reducing distress sales at harvest and stabilising supply throughout the year.

Uganda’s grain sector still relies heavily on smallholder farmers who individually cannot meet the scale and consistency demanded by regional markets. Aggregation through cooperatives, farmer organisations and professional traders pools produce from thousands of farmers, enabling bulk handling, standardised grading and cost-efficient logistics. Through partnerships with aggregators and farmer organisations, AGRA has supported the establishment of aggregation centres and post-harvest infrastructure across major grain-producing regions. Improved post-harvest handling alone is estimated to reduce losses that previously reached 20 to 30 percent, preserving marketable volumes and improving grain quality. Smallholders, including women and youth, are increasingly accessing structured markets that reward reliability.

To consolidate these gains, stronger government action is essential. Fast-tracking enforcement of the National Grain Trade Policy, supporting grain-producing districts to enact and implement aligned local ordinances, and sustaining advocacy for the removal of non-tariff barriers, particularly through the harmonisation and enforcement of SOPs for testing and grading, will be critical to strengthening Uganda’s competitiveness.

The writer is the Chairperson of The Grain Council of Uganda