The One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) initiative in Africa aims to build more sustainable food value chain systems, support family and smallholder farmers to be profitable and improve their livelihoods, minimize the use of chemical inputs and natural resources, reduce food loss and waste, and limit the negative impacts on the environment. It does this through green value chain development for Special Agriculture Products (SAPs), from green production to storage, processing and marketing.
OCOP is an opportunity for African countries to revisit or revamp value chains of important local agriculture products, in collaboration with FAO and other partners, to reap the rewards.
The OCOP initiative coincides with a growing need to diversify agricultural products to meet global consumption needs, and as climate change threatens productivity levels. It recognises that these challenges can be mitigated or overcome through innovation and collaboration.
OCOP also provides a platform for countries to learn from each other so that no one is left behind.
All African FAO Members are encouraged to join the initiative. It is country-owned and country-led.
With the commitment of governments, African countries can become key contributors to regional and international markets for their agriculture products, and drive progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, including ending poverty and hunger and reducing inequalities.
Countries and their Special Agricultural Products (SAPs)
Benin
- Special Agricultural Product: Honey
Cameroon
- Special Agricultural Product: Banana
Central African Republic
- Special Agricultural Product: Cassava
Chad
- Special Agricultural Product: Meat
Cote d'ivoire
- Special Agricultural Product: Rice
Republic of the Congo
- Special Agricultural Product: Cassava
Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Special Agricultural Product: Cassava
Djibouti
- Special Agricultural Product: Date Palm (Date palm)
Equatorial Guinea
- Special Agricultural Product: Cacao
Eritrea
- Special Agricultural Product: Potato
Eswatini
- Special Agricultural Product: Baby Vegetables
Ethiopia
- Special Agricultural Product: Teff
Gabon
- Special Agricultural Product: Maize
The Gambia
- Special Agricultural Product: Groundnut
Ghana
- Special Agricultural Product: Soybean
Guinea
- Special Agricultural Product: Maize
Guinea-Bissau
- Special Agricultural Product: Cashew nuts
Lesotho
- Special Agricultural Product: Potato
Malawi
- Special Agricultural Product: Green Banana
Mali
- Special Agricultural Product: Meat
Mozambique
- Special Agricultural Product: Rice
The Niger
- Special Agricultural Product: Meat
Rwanda
- Special Agricultural Product: Honey
Sierra Leone
- Special Agricultural Product: Rice
Somalia
- Special Agricultural Product: Sorghum
South Africa
- Special Agricultural Product: Fish
South Sudan
- Special Agricultural Product: Sorghum
Togo
- Special Agricultural Product: Rice
United Republic of Tanzania
- Special Agricultural Product: Avocado
Zambia
- Special Agricultural Product: Onion
Zimbabwe
- Special Agricultural Product: Soybean
One Country One Priority Product: Sorghum in South Sudan
FAO’s One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) is a country-led initiative to support the development of green value chains for special agricultural products. In South Sudan, the chosen
Resilience in the face of adversity
At 94, Samuel Minato Sithole from Mozambique proves that resilience knows no age. Through farming, he revitalized his land, increased yields, and secured income despite challenges like Cyclone Idai and El Niño. His success challenges stereotypes, inspiring both youth and elders to embrace agriculture as a path to prosperity.
Making honey a priority
A key part of the FAO project in Rwanda involved replacing the conventional beehives with rectangular modern hives that make harvesting the honey easier, boosting honey production and doubling or tripling beekeepers’ earnings.
One Country One Product (OCOP) Initiative: Transforming Ghana's Soybean Farming
The Support to Soybean Development Programme in Ghana is transforming food security, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture in Ghana! This vital initiative is part of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Ghana Government Cooperative Programme (GCP), focused on increasing access to healthier foods for households across the nation.