Africa-Press – Kenya. East and Central African countries have committed to a comprehensive roadmap aimed at strengthening food and nutrition security across the region.
The announcement came during the closing of the 11th African Grain Trade Summit (AGTS) held in Zanzibar, where ministers from the East African Community (EAC) pledged to fast-track targeted strategies to increase food production and deepen intra-regional grain trade.
Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, Beatrice Askul, who also serves as Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for EAC and Regional Development, emphasised the importance of regional cooperation under the south-south trade framework.
“We commit to building resilient grain markets by strengthening regional integration and removing barriers that hinder trade, and we will prioritise harmonisation of standards and regulatory frameworks so that African grain is competitive both regionally and globally,” Askul stated.
The three-day summit, convened by the East African Grain Council (EAGC), highlighted the urgent need to address challenges facing food production in the region, including post-harvest losses, low efficiency in value chains, and reliance on imports.
In many East African countries, farmers lose between 30 and 40 percent of their produce annually due to inadequate storage and handling systems.
These losses exacerbate food insecurity and increase the need for costly imports. For instance, Kenya spends over Sh200 billion annually on food imports, while the African Union estimates the continent’s annual food import bill at US$48 billion.
Officials at the summit agreed to mobilise resources to scale up digital innovations and climate-smart agricultural technologies, which are expected to reduce post-harvest losses and improve market intelligence.
Komla Bissi, senior advisor to the AfCFTA Secretary General, highlighted the broader continental context, noting that full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) grain trade strategy could increase intra-African maize trade by up to 40 percent by 2030.
He emphasised key concerns such as food contamination, lack of strategic reserves, and the impact of geopolitical conflicts, urging value chain actors to adopt deliberate strategies to reduce losses and improve local production efficiency.
The summit also resolved to create inclusive grain value chains that offer opportunities for youth and women, while reinforcing the role of public-private partnerships in infrastructure, logistics, and financial investments.
“These efforts must align with continental frameworks such as AfCFTA, the Malabo Declaration, and Agenda 2063 so that Africa speaks with one voice on food systems transformation. These resolutions are not merely words on paper; they are a roadmap,” Askul added.
Fatma Mabrouk Khamis, Principal Secretary in Zanzibar’s Ministry of Trade and Industrial Development, stressed the urgency for the island region, which imports over 80 percent of its staple food.
“For Zanzibar, these conversations carry special urgency. Our dependence on imported food is a reminder that resilience must start at home,” she said.
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