Reducing Barriers to Regional Trade in Food in West Africa

The initiative addresses key barriers limiting farmer's and agri-business entrepreneurs' access to intra-ECOWAS markets. It does so by monitoring ECOWAS' trade corridors to provide both credible analysis on the dynamics of intra-regional trade in food and document the obstacles to the free movement of food products (road blocks export restrictions border operations); and conduct private sector-led advocacy actions for the effective enforcement of existing rules enacted at the regional level and the development of concrete proposals to harmonize ECOWAS Trade Regimes such as standards rules of origin and veterinary certificates.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved efficiency of food and agricultural markets in West Africa; and (2) strengthened regional integration for agriculture-led growth in West Africa.