If Africa is the breadbasket of the world, why does it still import so much bread?
This paradox sits at the heart of the continent’s agro-processing challenge. Africa produces vast quantities of raw agricultural goods, cassava, maize, cocoa, coffee and more, but struggles to convert them into high-value products. The result? Lost revenue, missed jobs opportunities and a food system that feeds others more than it feeds itself.
This article continues our series on sectors that can accelerate intra-African trade and promote inclusive growth on the continent. After threading the needle with apparel, we now turn to the edible economy, where agro-processing isn’t just a technical fix, but a continental opportunity for transformation.
The raw truth: Africa’s agricultural abundance
Africa holds 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land and employs over 60 percent of its workforce in agriculture. Yet, agriculture contributes only about 15 percent to the continent’s gross domestic product (GDP). Why? Because raw exports dominate.
- Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana produce over 60 percent of the world’s cocoa, yet most chocolate is made in Europe.
- Nigeria is the world’s largest producer of cassava, but imports starch and ethanol derived from cassava.
- Kenya and Ethiopia grow premium coffee, but export it to some extent unprocessed, missing out on roasting, packaging and branding margins.
This is not just inefficient. It is unsustainable.
Agro-processing: The missing middle
Agro-processing refers to the transformation of raw agricultural products into consumable or industrial goods. Think cassava into flour, mangoes into juice, maize into animal feed, or tomatoes into paste.
The benefits are enormous:
- Value addition: Processed goods fetch 2–10x the price of raw exports.
- Job creation: Agro-processing is labour-intensive, especially for women and youth.
- Food security: Local processing reduces post-harvest losses and import dependency.
- Trade expansion: Processed goods are easier to store, transport and traded across borders.
Yet, Africa processes less than 30 percent of its agricultural output. That’s the edible revolution waiting to happen.
The data speaks: Trends in agro-processing
Recent data shows momentum building:
- AfCFTA impact: The African Continental Free Trade Area is expected to boost intra-African agricultural trade by 20–30% by 2030.
- Investment surge: Agro-processing attracted over $2.5 billion in private investment across Africa in 2024, with Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana leading the charge.
- SME growth: Over 70 percent of agro-processing firms are small and medium enterprises (SMEs), often run by women and youth.
- Digital tools: Platforms like Twiga Foods (Kenya) and FarmCrowdy (Nigeria) are linking farmers to processors and markets, reducing waste and boosting margins.
These are not isolated wins — they’re signals of a sector on the rise.
Nigeria & Kenya: Edible ecosystem builders
Let’s zoom in on two anchor countries:
Nigeria
- Produces 59 million metric tonnes of cassava annually.
- Yet imports over $600 million worth of processed food products.
- Recent government initiatives like the Special Agro-Processing Zones (SAPZs) aim to create clusters for processing, logistics and export.
Kenya
- Leads East Africa in horticulture exports, avocados, mangoes and French beans.
- Yet loses up to 40 percent of produce post-harvest due to lack of cold chains and processing facilities.
- Innovations like solar-powered dryers and mobile processing units are changing the game.
- Together, these countries can stitch a regional edible economy, where raw meets refined.
What’s holding us back?
Despite the promise, barriers remain:
- Infrastructure gaps: Poor roads, unreliable electricity and lack of cold storage choke processing potential.
- Finance access: SMEs struggle to get affordable loans for equipment and scale.
- Policy incoherence: Import bans, export restrictions and inconsistent tariffs confuse investors and traders.
- Skills deficit: Processing requires technical know-how, from food safety to packaging design.
- Market linkages: Farmers often lack access to processors and processors to markets.
These are solvable problems, but only with coordinated action.
A recipe for reform
Here’s what a bold agro-processing strategy could look like:
- Regional agro hubs: Cluster processing zones across borders, e.g., cassava from Nigeria, processed in Ghana, packaged in Côte d’Ivoire.
- SME financing: Expand blended finance models and guarantee schemes to de-risk agro-investments.
- Cold chain revolution: Invest in solar-powered cold storage and mobile processing units.
- Skills & standards: Build vocational training centres and harmonize food safety standards across AfCFTA.
- Digital marketplaces: Scale platforms that connect farmers, processors and buyers, like TradeDepot, AgroCenta, and Selina Wamucii.
- Creative branding: Promote “Made-in-Africa” food brands through influencer campaigns, food festivals and export showcases.
This is not just policy. It is a possibility.
Why this matters:
- Agro-processing is not just about food. It is also about futures.
- When Africa processes its own produce, it retains wealth.
- When youth find jobs in agro-enterprises, they stay rooted.
- When women lead food businesses, families thrive.
- When countries trade edible goods, they build edible diplomacy.
Imagine a continent where cassava chips from Nigeria are sold in Nairobi supermarkets. Where Ghanaian chocolate is served in Kigali cafés. Where Kenyan mango juice is stocked in Lagos hotels.
This is not fantasy. This is the edible revolution.
A Call to Action:
To policymakers: Don’t just grow food. Grow industries.
To entrepreneurs: Your next big idea might be in a tomato.
To investors: Agro is not charity. It has a good ROI with roots.
To consumers: Ask where your food comes from. And imagine where it could.
To storytellers: Let’s write a new narrative. One where Africa does not just feed the world but feeds itself with pride.
Next up in this series: The expansion of digital trade and the e-commerce leap. But for now, lets keep cooking up change: one crop, one crate, one continent at a time.
Dr. Wale Osofisan, PhD, is a seasoned governance strategist and policy analyst with over 23 years of experience advancing African-led, evidence-based solutions to political transitions, humanitarian crises and development challenges.
