As a critical ingredient in the Agricultural value chain, seed has become one of the critical commodities whose governance is increasingly highly contested.
The development landscape in Africa is full of paradoxes! While Africa is home to over 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, it also has about 868 million moderately food-insecure people, with more than onethird of them (342 million people) severely food-insecure (FAO, AUC, ECA, WFP, 2023). Another paradox is that there is FACT SHEET establish Implications to Sustainable Food Systems in Africa AfCFTA 2 | P a g e surplus production in some countries and net food import dependence in others at the same time.
Analyzing and Dissecting the Protocol of the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area on Intellectual Property Rights Related to Genetic Resources
This report summarizes the key outcomes of the validation meeting on agroecological produce cross-border trade in the EAC, organized by AFSA. Held on 29–30 April 2025, the meeting brought together 59 stakeholders from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and the DRC. The study investigated current trade patterns, policy landscapes, constraints, and opportunities related to agroecological trade. Key outcomes included a call for policy harmonization, increased stakeholder capacity, the establishment of agroecology trade corridors, and replication of the study in Burundi and South Sudan. Action points targeted CSOs, governments, regional bodies, and traders.
The East African Community (EAC) has set an ambitious target to increase intra-regional trade from 15% to 40% by 2030, positioning regional trade as a key driver of integration and development. Agriculture remains central to this vision, contributing between 25% and 40% of Partner States’ GDP, employing over 80% of the population, and accounting for 65% of intra-regional trade.
Cross border trade is very important for members of the East African Community. The trade in agroecological products will become increasingly critical for countries within the East African Community. Given the impact climate change is already having and will continue to have on agriculture and food systems, conventional agriculture will face ever expanding challenges. Agroecological production systems, given that they are more resilient, will become more critical as they demonstrate on a growing scale the numerous advantages. It is within this context that agroecological products will experience increasing demand as food systems experience multiple crises.
The EAC Treaty, along with its attendant Protocols and policies, commits to promoting unrestricted intra-regional trade in goods and services. By providing a favourable policy environment, it is hoped that the EAC will create market opportunities for value web actors, including smallholder farmers, traders (both large and small, formal and informal), transporters, and owners of warehouse/storage units, among others. From an agricultural perspective, the EAC provides a regional market for Partner States, given that the sector accounts for 25%-40% of Partner States’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP)1 , employing over 80%2 of the population in the region, and constituting about 65%3 of the volume of intraregional trade. The EAC also has an aspiration to increase the share of intra-regional trade from the current 15% to 40% by 20304.
What is Agroecology?
Agroecology integrates ecological and social principles into food systems. The 13 principles include
