OPINION: Easing cross-border trade in Africa, is key to strengthening East Africa’s role in food security and sustainability In this article, Tabitha Njuguna, the Managing Director of AFEX Fair Trade in Kenya makes a case for joint efforts between the private sector and governments on the African continent to work together to remove the barriers to agricultural production as well as cross-border trade as a means to both increase food supply as well as get the food where it is needed⏤ faster and affordably.

Africa’s population growth is one of the fastest in the world. In 2020, the population was estimated to be 1.3 billion and by 2050, it’s projected to reach 2.5 billion. This surge in population is putting a severe strain on the continent’s struggling food supply which is currently heavily dependent on imports and a record amount of wastage. According to the African Development Bank, Africa’s food imports will reach $90 billion by 2030 unless a drastic change occurs. The United Nations Environment Programme also reports that up to 50% of food produced in Africa is lost or wasted, exacerbating the…