By Timothy Wekesa
BUNGOMA, Kenya
More than 50 grain companies and exhibitors have gathered at Kibabii University for the annual Eastern African Grain Council (EAGC) expo.
The event aimed at supporting farmers through sustainable agribusiness practices — from seed selection and tillage to pest control and post-harvest management .
The theme of the exhibition is “Climate-Smart Technologies and Practices for Sustainable Food Systems.”
Speaking to journalists at a demonstration plot, EAGC Executive Director Gerald Masila said the council’s partnership with universities, research centers and other institutions is crucial in linking academia with industry.
“Students are a key pillar in the identification and commercialization of agribusiness solutions for the country,” he said.
Masila said each expo typically reaches more than 2,000 farmers, giving them a chance to learn new farming techniques and apply them on their farms.
As a membership organization, he added, EAGC mobilizes farmer groups and supports them in producing high-quality crops, while also linking them to reliable markets.
“Part of our role entails bringing buyers on board so that farmers can sell at competitive prices and support agro-processing,” he said.
Despite the growing threat of climate change, Masila said the council continues to facilitate research on climate-smart farming to help farmers maintain yields and safeguard food security amid unpredictable weather patterns.
He added that conservation agriculture has gained traction thanks to EAGC’s capacity-building programs targeting companies and farmer groups.
Irene Mbeka of Green World International, one of the exhibitors, said the expo has helped farmers embrace organic farming and given them confidence to reduce reliance on chemical inputs.
Erastus Wanjala Khayongo from Namwacha said he now understands how certain farming decisions affect production.
“I transplant my vegetables late, and I now understand that this is why I do not get optimum yields. My story will now change,” he said.
Exhibitors at the event included actors in the cereal value chain, mechanization, storage and processing, as well as providers of storage solutions and value-addition technologies.
The expo also drew support from EAGC’s long-standing partners — the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI), TradeMark Africa (TMA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) — all of whom contributed to making the 2025 event a success.
EAGC’s membership includes grain producers, traders, processors and service providers such as agro-input suppliers, financial institutions and animal-feed manufacturers.
The council supports structured grain trade through the G-Soko Grain Trading System, provides market and cross-border trade information via the Regional Agricultural Trade Intelligence Network (RATIN).
It anls engages in policy advocacy through the African Grain Trade Summit and offers capacity-building programs through the Grain Business Institute (GBI).
