The World Bank has criticised African countries for preferring to import food from distant markets rather than buy from neighbours, advising that investing in better logistics will reverse the food insecurity trend.
It advised in a new report titled ‘Transport Connectivity for Food Security in Africa: Strengthening Supply Chains’, authored by Charles Kunaka, Megersa Abera Abate, Théophile Bougna Lonla, and Kisanet Haile Molla.
According to the bank, despite rising agricultural production, food security continues to be a major challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa, with too many people still struggling to access nutritious meals
It blamed the setback on low agricultural productivity that does not keep up with population growth, extreme weather patterns, conflict, and economic pressures.
“But one critical issue often gets overlooked: how food moves.
“Weak transport and logistics systems delay deliveries, drive up costs, and increase food waste. This report examines how four major staples—cassava, maize, rice, and wheat—move across the continent. Poor roads, inefficient border crossings, and supply chain bottlenecks mean that food in Sub-Saharan Africa takes on average four times longer to reach consumers than it does in Europe,” it wrote.
The report noted that food becomes more expensive, harder to access, and more likely to spoil, with 36 per cent of food lost along the way, as a result of inadequate investment in logistics.
“A major barrier is that many African countries import food from distant markets rather than trade with neighbours. This happens because local roads and transport networks are not reliable or efficient, and restrictive trade policies make it easier to buy food from overseas than from neighbouring countries.”
It advised Africa to invest in better logistics to reverse the trend.
“At the World Bank Group, we recognise how urgent the problem is. Food and nutrition security is one of our top global priorities.
“Through initiatives such as the Food Security and Nutrition Action Plan and Global Challenge Programs, we are working with countries to build stronger and more resilient food systems—ones that can withstand shocks, improve access, and ensure food reaches those who need it the most,” the report noted.
The bank also pointed out that the food-insecure population on the continent has increased by 60 per cent over the past ten years.
The report, Transport Connectivity for Food Security in Africa: Strengthening Supply Chains, was authored by Charles Kunaka, Megersa Abera Abate, Théophile Bougna Lonla, and Kisanet Haile Molla.
“Many countries in Africa still struggle to produce enough food to meet their needs.
“Although over the past 30 years agricultural production in Africa increased by 160 per cent—more than the global average of 100 per cent—the food-insecure population paradoxically grew faster than in any other region in the world, and the productivity gains were not sufficient to offset the continent’s persistent food insecurity challenges.”
The report noted further, “Over the past 10 years, for example, the food-insecure population in Africa grew by 60 per cent, whereas agricultural productivity increased by 20 per cent during the same period, suggesting that the level of productivity was not enough to address the continent’s food insecurity problem.”
