Food Trade and Food Policy in Sub-Saharan Africa: Old Myths and New Challenges

Changing agricultural trade patterns and policy have powerful but often misunderstood effects on food security in the medium term — partly because they are indirect and partly because insufficient attention is given to the key changes. Africa, in particular, is being squeezed. Current patterns of importing cereals and exporting other agricultural products depend upon price effects of both OECD protectionism and preferences. In the future changes to both could increase the price of cereal imports and reduce the volume and prices of exports. These shifts are not from the formal Doha negotiations on agriculture but from the re-arrangement of agricultural subsidies in OECD countries, changes in trade preferences, and Africa's limited technical capacity to participate actively in setting standards.