The Export Performance of Africa’s Agribusiness Sector: A Policy Agenda for Change

Africa’s terrain and weather conditions turn it into one of the world’s most comparatively advantageous region; yet its share of global agricultural exports remains the lowest among world regions. I develop policy agenda to remove obstacles for agriculture exports from Africa. I suggest that effective export policy has to begin with addressing domestic obstacles, and discuss land administration and access to capital, as well as targeted cross-border interventions that are tuned to different geographies and crops. The agenda also advocates a differentiated trade policy approach that creates economic incentives for export of processed output, including as appropriate protectionist policies.