The new joint report by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is entitled "Agricultural Growth in West Africa: Market and Policy Drivers" (AGWA). The report states clearly that West Africa has unprecedented opportunities for agricultural growth, but this critically needs to be harnessed by more effective regional integration. In order to boost competitivity, it suggests that West African agriculture needs economies of scale, in particular for fertilizers, seeds as well as in agricultural research and technology development. Regional integration needs to be coupled with effective implementation at national level in order to overcome obstacles such as roadblocks and trade bans which continue to hinder intraregional trade, including national, as opposed to regional standards for seeds and fertilisers.
Source: fao.org