A task force chaired by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri has recommended the privatisation of the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
The team which was formed last year and tasked with finding solutions to the crisis and chaos in the maize sector believes allowing more private investors in cereal production will help cub some of the challenges being witnessed by NCPB.
In its 128 page report which was tabled in the National Assembly by CS Kiunjuri, the task force also recommended commercialisation of NCPB to allow it to be more financially independent.
“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," part of the report read as quoted by the Standard.
The task force also recommended for the Strategic Grain Reserve Trust Fund to be changed into a parastatal.
According to the local daily, the task force also recommended for every county to form its own register of farmers to avoid the challenge of fake farmers.
Last year the task force toured Uasin Gishu county where there were numerous complains about the domination of cartels in the maize sector. The farmers also blamed the government for neglecting them.
Some of the other key challenges which were pointed out by the task force include; political interference, insufficient funding and corruption.