The government will hire consultants to restructure the National Cereals and Produce Board to improve its operations.
''The process of identifying the consultants is almost complete. The board is set to undergo an in depth overhaul of its operations and mandate,'' said managing director Gideon Misoi.
He said all the NCPB's departments, including personnel, will be reformed to enable the board play its role in the agricultural sector effectively.
Misoi said the board will also review the funding of its operations.
''For three years, the board been performing very well to help farmers increase food production in the country,'' said the MD.
During the just concluded Nairobi International Trade Fair, NCPB scooped overall top honours among state corporations, which was awarded by President Kibaki.
“We will continue to focus on making Kenya a self-reliant nation in food production,” said Misoi.
There have been proposals that the NCPB should be split into two by the government in the restructuring process. The plan is to separate the board's government services like handling of relief food and strategic grain reserves, from its commercial activities.
The consultant to be hired will look at the board's operations and advise how best it can be modernised.
Misoi said the restructuring was aimed at enabling the NCPB to better manage its mandate in the agricultural sector.
The board’s subsidised fertiliser programme has enabled farmers to reduce the costs of production and the board is looking at ways of sustaining the programme. Last week NCPB announced a reduction in prices of the subsidized fertilizer to further help farmers.
“We have already imported adequate fertiliser for next year and farmers will now access it as early as possible from our depots countrywide,” said the MD.
NCPB has been allocated Sh 1.6 billion by the government, but farmers say the money is inadequate. The government has so far used Sh10 billion to support a subsidy programme for farmers, by supplying them with fertiliser at reduced prices.
The programme was started in 2006.
NCPB has been buying the fertiliser and selling it to the farmers. Misoi said the restructuring of the board would enable NCPB to widen its support activities to farmers.