Government responses to the world food crisis 2007-08: A political economy perspective

• Main Authors: Maas, Sarah, Matthews, Alan
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: 02.09.2011
• Subjects: Africa; agricultural exports; F14; Food Security and Poverty; market access; preference agreements; Q17

This paper examines the performance of African agri-food exports to the EU market over the first decade of the new millennium. The EU is Africa’s single largest export market absorbing just half of all African agri-food exports. Countries are grouped according to the preferential trade regime they enjoy to enter the EU market: North African countries under EuroMed agreements; least developed African countries under the Everything but Arms arrangement; other African countries under the Cotonou Agreement; and South Africa under its Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement. Despite these preferences, Africa appears to be losing market share. A shift-share analysis confirms that, with the exception of the African Mediterranean countries, the competitiveness of African exporters deteriorated over this decade. Examination of the potential impact of duty-free access for non-LDC African exporters under the interim Economic Partnership Agreements after 2008 shows that this is not likely to reverse this trend. Despite evidence that preferences for agri-food products work, improving Africa’s export performance will require investment by African countries themselves in overcoming the supply-side obstacles to increasing agri-food exports.