DG of RSB and CEO of EAGC signing the MoU On 10th May, 2016, Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) signed Memorandum of Understanding with Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC) in Kigali to establish formal relationship between EAGC and RSB to promote the implementation of the East African Community (EAC) Grain Standards in Rwanda.

At the signature of the MoU, Dr. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, Director General of Rwanda Standards Board informed that the collaboration is an opportunity for both parties to commit to strengthening of the economy of Rwanda by assuring the quality of grain and grain products to enhance the competitiveness of exports in regional and international markets; and to jointly promote the use of East African Standards for grains in Rwanda with cognizance that the Eastern Africa region requires combined efforts to increase the capacity of market institutions in order to facilitate marketing of grains.
In addition to that, Mr. Gerard Masila, Executive Director of EAGC stressed the need to put in place  pre-requisites for structured grain trading which includes adequate storage capacity, organized small scale farmers who have capacity to aggregate volume, institutionalized and harmonized grades and standards, and adherence to contracts and rules of trade. He mentioned that only partnership and collaboration among private and public entities can tackle that problem, and that is the aim of the MoU signed with RSB.

About the Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC)

EAGC is a regional organization with membership drawn from across the Eastern and Southern Africa. Members of the Council cut across the Grain value chain and include all the key players in production, trade and processing in nine (9) countries across Africa including Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Malawi, South Sudan, and Ethiopia.
 
Its key services include Warehouse receipting systems, Market intelligence Systems Capacity Building and evidence-based policy advocacy for an enabling policy environment. The Council works very closely with governments in the region, regional economic blocs like the EAC, COMESA and SADC and also development partners to address the various challenges in food security.

EAGC’s mandate is to develop, promote, and influence Structured Grain Trading system in the Eastern Africa region. The necessary ingredients for Structured Trading to happen include adequate storage capacity, organized small-scale farmers with capacity to aggregate volumes of grain, institutionalized and harmonized grades and standards, and adherence to contracts and rules of trade.