USGC gets funding for feed manufacturing training in North Africa

USA – USDA has approved a US$1.3 million funding to the US Grain Council (USGC) for establishment of the Regional Center for Feed Manufacturing for North Africa, in a bid to enhance feed manufacturing training in the regions.

USGC said that the centre will be headquartered in Tunisia and it will not only serve the region, but also the Middle East.

USGC plans to create a Centre for Feed Manufacturing was announced in January by Ramy Hadj Taieb, USGC regional director for the Middle East and North Africa.

He said that the program was purported to improve quality of feed and expand export opportunities in a way to counteract competition from other feed millers from Europe, the Black Sea and South America.

This follows a memorandum of understanding between USGC, the National Institute of Agronomy of Tunisia (INAT) and Iowa State University to facilitate the training program that targets nutritionists, feed millers and poultry, dairy, beef and aquaculture producers.

The program will train a team of 10 to 20 professionals from food and feed industry who will later train other 80-100 members of the next generation of feed industry leaders in Tunisia.

“Interest in this program is high as the feed industry continues to grow in Tunisia,” said Ramy Taieb, USGC regional director for the Middle East and North Africa.

“With this training, we expect U.S. coarse grains and co-products to have a positive impact both in terms of U.S. exports and for cost, production and feed quality for the region.”

The trainees will be equipped with intensive and technical skills as well as participate in industry related activities that will help promote development and professionalism.

USGC reiterated that their focus would remain on utilizing training programs to help develop Tunisia and the regional feed industry while emphasizing the advantages of U.S. coarse grains and co-products.

The council is looking forward to expand the program in the Middle East and the rest of Africa to boost feed production, while accelerating demand for US corn, barley, sorghum and co-products.