New trade plan targets barriers in Africa’s food value chains

A new plan aimed at boosting trade within Africa’s food systems has been unveiled at the ongoing Africa Food Systems Forum in Dakar, Senegal.

The Agri-Trade Action Plan was presented by Komla Bissi, senior adviser to the secretary general of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He explained that the initiative is designed to strengthen food systems and promote fairer trade across the continent.

According to Bissi, the plan rests on four principles: keeping trade practical, embracing Pan-Africanism, adding value beyond raw goods, and working with existing strategies.

The plan focuses on seven value chains: maize, rice, soya, fruits and vegetables, palm oil, meat, and fish, as each faces unique trade barriers.

“Each faces different barriers that hold back trade. Maize gets stuck at borders, rice is slowed by trade bans, fruits and vegetables lose value without cold storage, and palm oil struggles with low productivity and high costs. By targeting these weak spots, the plan shows where change can have the biggest impact,” he explained.

Alice Rehweza addressing guests

The forum, which opened on August 31, 2025, has drawn stakeholders whose contributions are expected to shape the future of Africa’s food systems.

From the first session on September 1, emerging recommendations include strengthening partnerships with banks, the private sector, and youth to ensure inclusive implementation; shifting from dialogue to impactful action that delivers results; aligning national budgets with commitments transparently and accountably; mobilising domestic resources and expanding access to affordable finance; and fully implementing the AfCFTA by harmonising standards and connecting farmers to regional markets, according to the AFSA secretariat.

Officiating at the event, the president of AGRA, Alice Ruhweza, called for investment in climate-smart financing to help smallholder farmers and young people grow their businesses.

Some of the leaders who attended the summit.

At the same occasion, the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, urged more support for young people in agriculture.

"We have to focus on young people who constitute the largest portion of our population, through education, through financing, through different partnerships so that all these young minds with their innovation and ideas in terms of entrepreneurship can thrive,” he said.

This year’s event, themed “Africa's Youth: Leading Collaboration, Innovation, and Implementation of Agri-Food Systems Transformation”, highlights the role of young people in shaping the continent’s food future.

On the sidelines of the forum, a high-level session will also discuss “Advancing the Momentum of the Implementation of the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan.”