Integrated Grain Handling Project for Rural Communities in Uganda

Access2innovation and key commercial partner BM Silo, will in partnership with ENGSKO Ktd., Gl. Buurholt Ltd., Opportunity International UK and AG-Ploutos, introduce commercially viable “grain hubs” to farming communities in Uganda. The Integrated Grain Handling Project will improve the quality of grain handling, drying and storage in an effort to minimalise post-harvest losses. This will be achieved through the introduction of Danish technologies within grain drying-and storage, milling and seed cleaning-and treatment, combined with training, access to financial services and improved access to market.

The grain sub-sector is considered a strategic area in the Uganda’s socio-economic transformation. This is due to the fact that grains are grown countrywide, creating opportunities for Ugandans through the entire value chain, from the supply of quality inputs for farming up to the final product in the market. This value chain also encourages women to play a significant role in the production of grains.

The sector is however, currently facing challenges such as inadequate supply following lower production, volatile agricultural commodity prices and inadequate storage facilities causing food waste. Further, the vast majority of farms in Uganda are today made up of smallholders who are dependent on middlemen buying the crop immediately after harvest, leaving the farmer with few or no options for negotiating the price. Overcoming existing challenges, this initiative stands to reinforce the strategic role of the grain sub-sector in Uganda’s economic growth, ensuring sustainability and equitable opportunities for all stakeholders involved.

Among some of the main achievements are the launch of the project, the launch was arranged in order to raise awareness about the post-harvest handling problems in Uganda and about this Grain Handling Project in particular. It was an event which attracted most stakeholders within the grain value chain in Uganda, which among other things included a field trip to Wekembe Cooperative Society, where participants could experience how Danish tech can help farmers reduce postharvest loss. https://www.access2innovation.com/photos-from-dmdp-launch-in-uganda/.