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New partnership to boost trade for East African growers

A new $508,000 partnership between USAID,Trade Mark Africa and EABC aims to enhance the trading capacity of 220 private sector enterprises, including SMEs and 3,000 farmers, processors, and private proprietors, within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). PHOTO | COURTESY

By  Bertha Ismail

What you need to know:

  • The funding will support 220 private sector enterprises, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and directly benefit 3,000 farmers, processors, and private business owners.

Arusha. Over 3,000 growers across East African Community (EAC) Member States are set to benefit from a new partnership involving USAID, TradeMark Africa (TMA) and the Arusha-based East African Business Council (EABC).

The initiative, backed by a $508,000 investment from the USAID Economic Recovery and Reform Activity (USAID-ERRA), aims to enhance trade potential for high-value agricultural exports.

The three-year partnership will target reducing trade constraints for key agricultural products including tea, coffee, rice, vegetables, cotton, textiles, and garments.

Related

The funding will support 220 private sector enterprises, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and directly benefit 3,000 farmers, processors, and private business owners.

The Deputy Director of USAID Kenya and East Africa, Mr David Rogers said the regional collaboration and ongoing engagement with policymakers and the private sector on matters related to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was vital.

"This initiative underscores the need for increased collaboration across the region," Rogers said.

The project will focus on countries within the AfCFTA, the world's largest free trade area, which encompasses 55 African Union member states.

A study conducted by TMA and the EAC Secretariat estimates the total trade potential of the EAC within the continental free trade area at $1.9 billion.

Kenya holds the largest share of this potential at $705.5 million, followed by Tanzania at $594 million, the DR Congo at $342 million, Uganda at $178.2 million, Rwanda at $36.1 million, and Burundi at $1.3 million.

The East African Business Council will also address 12 high-impact non-tariff barriers, facilitate trade deals through Business-to-Business market linkages, and raise awareness of market opportunities under the AfCFTA.

The CEO of TMA, David Beer said that private sector action was crucial for presenting a unified message to policymakers at national, regional, and continental levels. Adrian Njau, Acting Executive Director at EABC, added, "Together, we will empower women, youth, SMEs, and other value chain actors to access trade policy instruments and engage in intra-Africa trade."

The initiative will collaborate with key stakeholders, including the East African Women in Business Platform (EAWiBP), the East African Sub-Regional Support Initiative for Advancement of Women (EASSI), and YouLead, to maximize its impact and reach.

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