Africa farmers, traders and consumers care less about continental ambitions, and instead, care more about whether the road is passable, the rules enable the food to move, the standards are clear, and a buyer is waiting at the other end of the border.
ANAPRI CONTRIBUTES TO SADC BUSINESS COUNCIL DIALOGUE ON UNLOCKING REGIONAL TRADE OPPORTUNITIES
ANAPRI participated in the SADC Business Council Strategic Dialogue Webinar, Unlocking Trade and Investment in SADC: Exploiting Opportunities under Current Global Shifts in AGOA and the China–Africa Economic Partnership Agreement (CAEPA), held virtually on 11 June 2026.
TANZANIA’S AGRICULTURAL TRADE PROBLEM IS NOT PRODUCTION; IT IS POLICY UNCERTAINTY
Tanzania has the ingredients of a strong agricultural trading nation. It has land, diverse agro-ecological zones, a large farming population, access to regional markets, and strategic links to the East African Community, SADC, COMESA and AfCFTA. Agriculture contributes significantly to the economy and employs a large share of the population. Its exports include cashew nuts, coffee, cotton, tobacco, tea, cloves, horticulture and sesame, while staples such as maize and rice remain critical for regional food markets.
MALAWI’S MAIZE TRADE POLICY IS TRYING TO PROTECT FOOD SECURITY; IT MAY BE WEAKENING IT
Malawi’s agricultural trade story is a story of promise trapped by uncertainty. The country has fertile soils, water resources, a large farming population and a strategic location in Southern Africa. Agriculture remains the backbone of the economy, employing most of the workforce, contributing significantly to GDP and generating the bulk of foreign exchange earnings. On paper, Malawi should be better positioned to supply regional markets, diversify exports and strengthen agro-processing.
GHANA’S FOOD MARKETS ARE REGIONAL; ITS POLICIES MUST START REGULATING THE REAL MARKET
Ghana’s agricultural trade story is often told through cocoa. That is understandable. Cocoa is structured, regulated, globally traded and central to the country’s export identity. Cashew is also increasingly important. These commodities operate through relatively formal systems with clear institutions, established buyers and recognized export channels.
AGRICULTURAL TRADE DISRUPTIONS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: RAPID SYNTHESIS AND FEEDBACK FROM COUNTRY DIALOGUES
The webinar held on 13th May on Agricultural Trade Disruptions in sub-Saharan Africa: Rapid Synthesis and Feedback from Country Dialogues, organised by the Africa Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes in partnership with AGRA, convened policymakers, researchers, regional institutions, and development partners to examine the growing scale and implications of agricultural trade disruptions across Africa. Drawing on evidence from Ghana, …
AFRICA’S FOOD MARKETS ARE ALREADY REGIONAL; OUR POLICIES NEED TO CATCH UP
Between February and April 2026, ANAPRI centres convened a series of country-level consultations on agricultural trade barriers in Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Kenya and Ghana. The message from these dialogues was remarkably consistent: Africa’s food markets are already deeply connected across borders, but our policies still behave as if food systems stop at national boundaries.
BREAKING THE CYCLE OF TRADE BANS IN MALAWI’S AGRICULTURE
Malawi’s agricultural trade system continues to be shaped by frequent and often abrupt policy decisions that ripple across markets, livelihoods, and the wider economy. This reality was at the centre of a policy dialogue convened on 21 April 2026 by MwAPATA Institute and the Centre for Agricultural Research and Development, both member centres of the Africa Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes.
ALIGNING TRADE POLICY WITH TANZANIA’S AGRICULTURAL POTENTIAL
Stakeholders from government, the private sector, and research institutions convened in Dar es Salaam on 23 April 2026 for a policy dialogue on agricultural trade restrictions in Tanzania. Organised by Sokoine University of Agriculture with support from the Africa Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes, the meeting provided a timely opportunity to reflect on how current trade policies are shaping the country’s agricultural competitiveness and its role within regional markets.
RETHINKING AGRICULTURAL TRADE AND CROSS-BORDER GOVERNANCE IN GHANA
The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), University of Ghana convened a national dialogue on agricultural commodities trade, cross-border governance, and financing on Wednesday, 15 April 2026. The dialogue forms part of a broader effort led by the Africa Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes to strengthen agricultural trade systems across the continent, bringing together policymakers, researchers, private sector actors, and development partners.
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