Regional value chains: linkages and opportunities in agro-processing across five SADC countries

This research paper examines agro-processing value chains across five SADC countries—South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania, and Mauritius—to propose policies for regional industrialization and climate change adaptation, with a specific focus on the sugar and soya sectors.

• South Africa serves as the largest market for processed food in the SADC region, though future demand growth is expected to originate from Tanzania, Mozambique, and Zambia due to urbanisation and population growth.
• Zambia experienced a 24.5% annual growth rate in soya production between 2004 and 2014, driven by poultry feed demand in Southern Africa. Production reached 351,416 metric tonnes in the 2016/17 season as more small- and medium-scale farmers joined the value chain.
• Mozambique exhibits a gap in its tobacco value chain, acting as a net exporter of unprocessed tobacco (averaging $24 million annually between 2012 and 2016) while importing finished products like cigarettes and cigars.
• Mauritius currently relies on European and Asian markets for processed foods, including cereals, dairy, and frozen fish. It has the potential to integrate into SADC regional value chains by replacing these deep-sea imports and establishing a regional processed fish value chain.
• The paper recommends several policy interventions to strengthen regional value chains, including harmonising SADC standards for commodities, increasing storage capacity in Tanzania and Zambia, addressing high transport costs (such as backhauls between South Africa and Zambia), and reviewing sugar sector policies that maintain high prices to protect established growers.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2019). Regional value chains: linkages and opportunities in agro-processing across five SADC countries. https://saiia.org.za/saiia-toolkit/regional-value-chains-linkages-and-opportunities-in-agro-processing-across-five-sadc-countries/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Regional value chains: linkages and opportunities in agro-processing across five SADC countries. 2019. https://saiia.org.za/saiia-toolkit/regional-value-chains-linkages-and-opportunities-in-agro-processing-across-five-sadc-countries/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Regional value chains: linkages and opportunities in agro-processing across five SADC countries |date=25 March 2019 |url=https://saiia.org.za/saiia-toolkit/regional-value-chains-linkages-and-opportunities-in-agro-processing-across-five-sadc-countries/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2019regional, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Regional value chains: linkages and opportunities in agro-processing across five SADC countries}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2019}, month = mar, url = {https://saiia.org.za/saiia-toolkit/regional-value-chains-linkages-and-opportunities-in-agro-processing-across-five-sadc-countries/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }