Within a decade, Africa’s population’s demand for food is expected to double that of current levels. The vast majority of people, who are low income earners, will suffer the inevitable household and social strains.

 A new report by the World Bank, titled “Africa can Help Feed Africa”, delves into the existing policy and systemic problems that have impeded regional agricultural products among African countries and offers potential remedies. The basic premise is that free and streamlined trade within the continent not only would remedy current and future food security concerns by increasing food availability but would also boost local markets and small scale farmers.

The report highlights the damaging impact of climate change and points out the failure of nations to be self-sufficient. It outlines the potentially game-changing benefits offered by unblocking and streamlining trade within the continent, showing how African countries have been disproportionally relying on expensive imports and volatile global markets for its basic food stuffs. For example, only 5% of African countries’ cereal imports come from within Africa.Wholesale seed and fertiliser imports, outdated and expensive transport infrastructure, as well as restrictive import and  export regulations, national border crossings, and corruption are among the few issues raised by the report.

The current efforts by African governments are proving ineffective due to unpredictable policy changes and a lack of stable, long-term policy commitments that transcend the short-term offices of national politicians.  The report focuses on on the need for national governments to remove  barriers to regional trade in order to  boost wide spread commerce among African nations that involves many stakeholders. Policy changes to reduce  border barriers and the visa requirements are among the measures being proposed by the report. Governments are encouraged to work together on transport infrastructure and to formulate inclusive, long term policy reforms and goals. In particular, the report advises a re-think to policies that scare off investment in the trade of agricultural products such as import and export bans,variable tariffs, and price controls as well asthe selling of products at subsidised prices.

A possible solution that the World Bank proposes is the establishment of national institutions that set and implement standards to manage risk, commodity exchanges and market information. It is recognised that these measures alone won’t suffice unless governments are seriously committed, and that the discussion process includes stake holders at all levels, in order to lead to a clear reform strategy and coherent policy changes that are pan national.

The report sums up the urgent need to overcome the mainly bureaucratic and political barriers in order to exploit the far reaching potential of streamlined agricultural trade within Africa.

Source: [ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/29/africa-can-feed-itself ]  ,

[ http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTAFRICA/Resources/Africa-Can-Feed-Africa-Report.pdf ]

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