By Jacky Achan
The lack of awareness is delaying many African farmers from taking advantage of the single market for goods and services established on the continent by Africa’s continental free trade agreement (AfCFTA).
According to Sylvia Nalwanga, a trade expert, the agreement established the world’s largest free trade area in January, 2021, however, many African farmers are not aware of it.
She says farmers do not know what is required including certificates and standards required to take advantage of the market.
“A lot is still needed for farmers producing at a small scale to take advantage of the big African market under the Africa’s continental free trade agreement,” Nalwanga, who works with Institute of Exports and International Trade-Uganda, said.
She made the remarks during the Fairtrade Producer Day held in Kampala on Wednesday August 23, 2023 under the theme Is Your Business Ready for the Future? that was facilitate through insightful market place experience including an exhibition of fair trade products and samples from across Africa.
Nalwanga said most African countries export outside the continent to markets such as the European Union, yet there is market for the products they export within the continent. She said to benefit from the single African market, there is need for value addition.
“With Africa’s continental free trade agreement, we can establish market for farmers with the help of regional value chains where a product can be produced in one country, value addition done in another and then exported within the African continent.”
The aim is to enable the free flow of goods and services across the continent and boost the trading position of Africa in the global market. As part of its mandate, the AfCFTA is to eliminate trade barriers and boost intra-Africa trade and is one of the lead projects of the African Union Agenda 2063.
According to trade experts, by eliminating barriers to trade in Africa, the objective of the AfCFTA is to significantly boost intra-Africa trade, particularly trade in value-added production and trade across all sectors of Africa’s economy.
The African Continental Free Trade Area is the world’s largest free trade area bringing together the 55 countries of the African Union and eight Regional Economic Communities to create a single market for the continent. Its aim is to enable the free flow of goods and services across the continent and boost the trading position of Africa in the global market.
