The Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC) has launched an online trading platform that links smallholder farmers to grain buyers through a networked and structured market mechanism.

The G-Soko platform was launched last week in Nairobi at a ceremony graced by the East African Community’s Secretary General Amb. Richard Sezibera.

The online platform is part of a five-year trade enhancement and promotion programme that aims to encourage trading in regional staple food markets, according to EAGC.

"Right now, there is urgency to expand regional food trade due to the exponential growth of staple food imports.

Linking rural food surplus production zones in Eastern Africa to major deficit urban consumption centres requires a well-functioning regional market,” Gerald Masila, the executive director of EAGC, said.

"We wanted to address this deficiency, but also do it in a way that is inclusive and effective. This is why we developed G-Soko; a market transaction platform that will enhance food trade across borders, and contribute towards making trading more transparent.”

The G-Soko platform was developed by the EAGC in partnership with FoodTrade Eastern and Southern Africa and Virtual City, a leading mobile software solutions firm supporting the supply chain and agribusiness industry in Africa.

According to the statement from EAGC, the platform performs a structured trade function that integrates the entire grain trade from the farm to market.

The East Africa Community (EAC) expressed support for the G-Soko platform, reiterating its commitment to developing sustainable structures in grain trade.

Jean Baptiste Havugimana, the EAC’s director for productive sectors, noted that the G-Soko platform was instrumental in driving regional integration and trade, while assuring quality grades and standards for economic growth.

"The EAC is committed to working with the Eastern Africa Grain Council and its regional partners to foster economic growth and support to regional trade within the EAC member states. As a private sector partner, we believe G-Soko, will provide a wider grain market for all the countries in the region. Farmers from the member states can now trade freely as part of the common market protocol, through this partnership,” said Havugimana.

Through G-Soko, farmers are able to aggregate their produce through a certified warehouse and also access financial services using their grains as collateral.

Regional grain farmers will be able to trade their grain for free, competitively and transparently through G-Soko.Reiterating the technical capabilities of the platform and its role as a solution-provider, Virtual City managing director John Waibochi noted that the model addresses the challenge of funds inadequacy by devising affordable export/import financing modalities.

"It creates synergies from the small-scale farmers to the bulk buyers based on tested market structures. This system also enhances traceability of grains,” he said.

Its grain bulking feature allows farmers to consolidate and sell their grains at aggregation centres linked with certified warehouses. More importantly, G-Soko will Increase the utilisation of East African standards for grain commodities and products as quality assurance is said to be key, according to EAGC.

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