This archive report was first published on 31 July 2019.
Published on July 31, 2019, a task-force appointed to explore ways of dealing with chaos in the maize sector has recommended the privatisation of the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB). The team, appointed at the height of the maize crisis last year, wants NCPB split into a commercial and Government services wing to save it from the many challenges bedeviling it.
The proposal, which could see the Government sell its stake in the giant agency, aims to professionalise NCPB's operations, away from the current chaos in the agency. If the proposals are adopted, 80 per cent of NCPB operations will be in private hands, while the Government will run 20 per cent of the board's operations.
The task-force also wants an increase of the strategic grain reserve from the current 4 million to 6 million bags, in what could see the agency purchase more maize from farmers. According to the 128-page report, “To make NCPB a viable institution, it should be privatised and restructured into a commercial enterprise. This will stop it from relying wholly on the Government for funding and ensure effective allocation of resources, tasks, responsibilities, authorities and accountability,” states the report.
The task-force was gazetted last year under instructions from President Uhuru Kenyatta to review under-performance in the maize industry. It was chaired by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri. The Government has been under pressure from stakeholders to release the report, whose recommendations, if implemented, could be key in unlocking current challenges.
The proposal to privatise NCPB could, however, attract criticism for its potential to create more opportunities for unscrupulous fat cats. To deal with cases of fake farmers, the team has recommended that each county develops a register of its farmers, culminating into development for an aggregate national register.
