Maize Program > Highlights

Regional Grain Sector Holds Historic Summit

Mr. Erastus Mwencha addresses the First Regional Grain Trade Summit

USAID, in collaboration with COMESA and other stakeholders, held the first Regional Grain Trade Summit held October 12th and 13th , 2005 in Nairobi. For the first time all key players involved in the east and southern African regional grain industry met together as a group to map out a regionally focused strategy for grain trade market development within COMESA. The event attracted over 300 participants from 20 countries including COMESA, EAC and SADC as well as Europe and the United States. The event was primarily self-financed highlighting the importance given to the summit topics by the participants. The key summit presentations and workshop discussions centered on public, private and donor sector Investment/Intervention options, the role of food aid and National Grain Reserves and their Impact on trade, competitiveness and farm to market systems, trade finance including collateral management, commodity exchange, and warehouse receipts, and steps towards enacting effective trade policy for improved regional trade. The summit report and workshop conclusions can be found on www.tradeafrica.biz.

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