African Leaders Advocate Enhanced Cross-Border Cereal Trade to Strengthen Food Security
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Nairobi, Dec 16 (NationPress) Seamless intra-African trade in cereals, including maize, rice, wheat, and legumes, is vital for addressing the food security crisis in Africa and enhancing rural incomes, according to officials at a forum held in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Monday.
The two-day public-private dialogue was organized by the Eastern African Grain Council (EAGC), an industry advocacy group, and the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), a continent-based organization focused on advancing smallholder farming in Africa.
High-level policymakers, industry leaders, donors, and researchers have gathered at the forum to encourage cross-border trade in grains by dismantling tariff barriers, enhancing quality, and minimizing transportation expenses.
Paul Ronoh, principal secretary in Kenya's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, commented that expanding the quantity of grains traded across borders could be a solution to the hunger and malnutrition challenges plaguing the region due to climate change, diminishing arable land, and issues such as crop pests and diseases.
"We must develop policies that facilitate rather than obstruct cross-border trade in grains to combat food insecurity and enhance incomes for our smallholder farmers, who are predominantly women and youth," Ronoh remarked, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
He noted that the eastern African region sees nearly two million metric tonnes of grains traded annually, even as governments work to resolve challenges like policy inconsistencies, high tariffs, and expensive logistics related to transport and storage.
Gerald Masila, executive director of the EAGC, emphasized that removing regulatory obstacles is essential for encouraging private sector involvement in regional grain trade, which promises food and nutritional security, job creation, and rural development.
According to Masila, aligning tax and foreign exchange policies, offering subsidies for smallholder farmers, and enhancing post-harvest storage will promote cross-border trade in cereals while assisting countries in addressing deficits caused by unpredictable weather conditions.
Furthermore, Masila urged regional nations to create active commodity exchange platforms and enhance credit access for small-scale traders to maintain the flow of grains across borders.
Nega Wubeneh, AGRA's head of markets and trades, stated that the private sector should lead the initiative for cross-border trade in grains while governments implement regulations to ensure fair competition and food safety.
Providence Mavubi, director of industry and agriculture at the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, a regional bloc, declared that to boost the volume of grains traded across borders, governments must streamline licensing for traders, ensure farmers have access to quality seeds and fertilizers, and invest in innovations to reduce food waste.
