Within the sub-themes of the “Science-business Nexus to Boost Intra-African Trade” and “Knowledge Management, Digitalization, and Youth Entrepreneurship,” FAO is convening a plenary session during the 8th FARA Africa Agribusiness and Science Week, which will be held in Durban, South Africa, from 5-8 June 2023. The FAO plenary session event will be held on 8th June and will focus on how digitalization and women and youth participation can enhance the inclusive implementation of the AfCFTA.

A striking feature of the pattern of African agrifood trade is that trade with third countries dominates, while about one quarter of Africa’s total agrifood trade is sourced within the continent with about 60 percent through informal channels. To address this challenge in a holistic manner, after years of limited action, the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) entered into force on 30 May 2019.

Furthermore, to support the implementation of the AfCFTA agreement, in April 2021 the AUC and the FAO jointly launched the Framework for Boosting Intra-African Trade (BIAT) in Agricultural Commodities and Services. The purpose of the BIAT framework is to guide the regional economic communities (RECs) and member states in developing and aligning agricultural trade policies, strategies and plans to take advantage of the market opportunities under the AfCFTA and the new and emerging realities in the global business environment. The framework translates the commitments undertaken by the African Union (AU) into tangible programmes and actions to expand trade among AU member states within the AfCFTA. It sets out a roadmap with key priority cluster areas for sustained implementation of the AfCFTA at the national, regional, and continental levels. The seven clusters include trade policy, trade facilitation, productive capacity, trade-related logistics and infrastructure, trade finance, factor market integration and cross-cutting issues (including the institutional arrangements for AfCFTA implementation, information across agricultural value chains, a communication and visibility plan and a monitoring and evaluation framework, the strengthening of trade and market information systems and the strengthening of food control systems).

This event will explore the nature, extent and use of digital technologies, particularly, by the informal sector (which comprises mainly women and youth), and how they can be improved and formalized to benefit from the implementation of the AfCFTA. It will also explore pathways for digitalization and the overall promotion of intra-African trade, emerging opportunities in agricultural credit and financing platforms (AgfinTech), early warning and business/market intelligence and information systems.

• The event will further examine youth-led innovations in the digital space in the context of the forthcoming Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade for enhancing inclusive implementation of the AfCFTA agreement.

• To provide a platform for stakeholders in the agrifood system arena to discuss opportunities, challenges, and strategies to improve intra-African agricultural trade through science-based food control and trade facilitation measures, digitalization and formalization of informal businesses, including those led by women and youth.

• To deepen understanding on the roles and responsibilities of major stakeholders and multistakeholder partnerships in harnessing the benefits from the AfCFTA for a profitable business environment using evidence and science-based solutions.

• To provide insights on how women and youth are shaping the digitalization of the agriculture and agrifood trade agenda in Africa and agree on what is needed to enhance women and youth participation in intra-African trade.

• To create awareness of FAO’s comparative advantage as the leading international norm-setting body for food safety standards among relevant stakeholders in support of the implementation of the AfCFTA for sustained growth.

• Improved understanding of the roles and responsibilities of major stakeholders (academia, policymakers, private sector, women and youths, development partners, etc.) and multistakeholder partnerships in harnessing the benefits of the AfCFTA for a robust trade and business environment in Africa.

• A shared understanding of the alternate pathways and tools to strengthen inclusive AfCFTA implementation at the national, regional and continental levels.

Programme of events

 Moderator: Justin Chisenga, Knowledge/Information Management Officer, FAO 

Opening remarks

Abebe Haile-Gabriel – Assistant Director General of the FAO Regional Office for Africa and Regional Representative

Yemi Akinbamijo, Executive Director. FARA (TBC)

Presentation on the Framework for Boosting Intra-African Trade (BIAT) in Agricultural Commodities and Services, including an update on the current state of play with a focus on the Guided Trade Initiative (GTI)

Suffyan Koroma – Senior Policy Officer (SFE) and Programme Manager

Trade and market opportunities for inclusive growth (RAF-BN5/PPA205), FAO

Panel discussions – 2 segments under the same session:

1)    How has/can digitalization enhance trade facilitation, sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) and food safety, etc. to support the implementation of the AfCFTA and how emerging digital technologies and innovations are enhancing agribusiness?

• Melvin Spreij – WTO -SDTF
• Talkmore Chidede - AfCFTA Secretariat - Digitalisation & agribusiness

2)    Women and youth as enablers of intra-African trade, including agribusiness, in the context of the AfCFTA.

• Expert on women in trade and digitalization (TBC)
• Expert on youth in trade and digitalization (TBC)

Q&A and Response from panelists

Closing Remarks

• Boubaker BenBelhassen, Director, Markets and Trade Division, FAO