Transforming West Africa’s Food Systems Through Stronger Regional Trade Links

The OECD’s Sahel and West Africa Club (SWAC), working with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and financially supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German government, has released a pivotal study titled Intra-regional Food Trade in West Africa: New Evidence, New Perspectives. Published in 2025, the report breaks with older traditions of narrowly focusing on official statistics by shining light on the vibrant informal food trade that sustains millions. It positions food trade not simply as an economic activity, but as a lifeline that links communities, balances surpluses and deficits. It underpins social stability in a region that is constantly under pressure from climate variability, political shocks, and fragile supply chains.

Food Systems Under Pressure

The report opens with a stark assessment of West Africa’s food landscape. With a population surpassing 400 million, the majority of people depend directly or indirectly on food systems for their livelihoods. Yet these systems remain fragile, battered by erratic rainfall, recurring droughts, political unrest, and the vulnerability of international imports. According to the authors, intra-regional trade has the potential to serve as a stabilising force by allowing food to circulate more efficiently within the region. It can bridge surpluses in one area with deficits in another, offering households more affordable and reliable supplies. However, the study notes that much of this trade goes unnoticed in official data, leading to an underestimation of its true role in food security.

The Invisible Networks of Informal Trade

Through newly collected data and mapping tools, the researchers reveal a striking reality: when informal flows are included, intra-regional trade is far more significant than official figures suggest. Crops like maize, millet, sorghum, rice, and cassava move fluidly across porous borders, alongside livestock and processed goods. These movements often bypass customs records, yet they are vital for local economies. The report insists that ignoring such exchanges distorts the understanding of how markets function and obscures the strategies households rely on for survival. Informality, far from being a failure, is presented as a pragmatic response to rigid systems. Traders turn to these networks because they are faster, cheaper, and more reliable than formal alternatives, weighed down by bureaucracy and inefficiency.

Barriers on the Road to Integration

Despite the vibrancy of informal trade, the study underlines persistent barriers. Poor infrastructure, congested border posts, multiple taxes, and unpredictable closures hinder commerce. Small traders, particularly women, face harassment and extortion at checkpoints, discouraging them from operating through official routes. Rather than punishing informality, the authors argue, governments should focus on reducing these barriers. Investments in better roads, storage facilities, and streamlined customs procedures would make formal channels more attractive. By lowering transaction costs and offering fairer conditions, policymakers could enable traders to scale up their businesses, access credit, and contribute more visibly to the regional economy.

Gender, Finance, and the Politics of Trade

The social dimension of food trade emerges strongly in the report. Women dominate retail markets and play central roles as processors and small-scale traders, yet their contributions often go unrecognised. With better access to credit, vocational training, and social protections, their potential could be unlocked, leading to more inclusive growth. The report also warns of environmental risks: increased trade should not come at the expense of deforestation, soil degradation, or water stress. Sustainable practices must accompany expansion to ensure long-term resilience.

Finance is another sticking point. While development banks, donors, and private investors have made ambitious commitments, disbursements lag. The study calls for blended finance and risk-sharing mechanisms to bridge this gap. Without improved logistics, storage, and market information systems, the potential of regional trade will remain underutilised. At the same time, the political economy of integration remains fraught. ECOWAS has long promoted a single market, yet national governments often revert to protectionist reflexes. Building trust, harmonising policies, and reinforcing political will are presented as essential steps to move from rhetoric to reality.

Turning Potential into Strength

The report concludes on a cautiously hopeful note. It recognises the immense challenges, weak infrastructure, cumbersome procedures, and political hesitation, but insists that the building blocks for progress already exist. The evidence shows that regional trade is far more important than acknowledged, and with targeted policies, it could become a cornerstone of West Africa’s food security strategy. The authors urge recognition of informal networks as engines of growth, not obstacles, and call for stronger support for traders, especially women. They emphasise that when food moves freely across borders, communities prosper; when barriers rise, it is the poorest households that pay the price.

In presenting fresh data and bold perspectives, the OECD/SWAC study seeks to change the conversation about West African food systems. It reframes regional food trade from a marginal issue into a central pillar of resilience, equity, and development. The message is clear: by valuing what already exists and tackling the barriers that remain, West Africa can turn vulnerability into strength and ensure that food systems serve both economic and human security for decades to come.