Jane Battersby
New World Bank Report: “Africa can help feed Africa”
From the introduction to “Africa Can Help Feed Africa
Removing barriers to regional trade in food staples” (Link)
“Farmers in Africa face more barriers in accessing the inputs they need and in getting their food to consumers in African cities, than do suppliers from the rest of the world. Outdated regulations limit access to the best seeds, raise the price of fertilizers and pre- vent agricultural specialists from crossing borders to share their knowledge where it is most need- ed; lack of competition often ensures high transport costs and poor services; export bans, unnec- essary permits and licenses, costly documentary requirements hit poor small farmers and traders hard, and standards, rather than facilitating are often a barrier to trade for small producers.
The concept of food security has too often been twisted by narrow nationalistic visions and frequently hijacked by specific interests that benefit from the current situation. It is now an oppor- tune time to breakout and pursue regionally integrated food markets that will deliver food security more efficiently and at the same time allow farmers to obtain more of the returns from their labors.”
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