Optimising agricultural value chains in Southern Africa after COVID-19

The document examines the state of agricultural value chains in the SADC region, noting that while the sector was minimally affected by COVID-19 compared to others, the pandemic exacerbated existing vulnerabilities. Key challenges identified include a heavy reliance on subsistence farming, food insecurity, and the impact of climate change. The brief argues for a 'dual approach' that supports both small-scale and large-scale commercial farming, the adoption of climate-smart technologies, digitalization of value chains, and the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to enhance regional trade and food security.

• The SADC region should adopt a 'dual approach' to agricultural development that creates opportunities for both small-scale subsistence farming, which provides socioeconomic benefits, and large-scale commercial farming geared toward exports to drive economic development.
• COVID-19 had a minimal direct impact on the SADC agricultural sector because it was generally classified as an essential service, but it exacerbated existing structural challenges and increased food insecurity. Approximately 44.8 million people in southern Africa were food insecure, with a 10% increase between 2019 and 2020.
• Climate change has created significant uncertainty in food production, complicating crop selection and geographical placement. In 2018, the climate crisis left over 41 million people across 13 of the 16 SADC countries food insecure.
• The implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which took effect in January 2021, is viewed as a critical lever for strengthening regional integration and protecting small-scale farmers by eliminating tariffs on 90% of goods.
• Digitalization of agro-value chains through smartphone apps, e-commerce, and automation offers a way to include smallholder farmers who were previously excluded from these chains and to optimize interactions between farmers, suppliers, and financiers.
• SADC member countries generally suffer from a lack of heterogeneity in agricultural activities, producing similar products like grains, nuts, and vegetables, with South Africa being a notable exception by also producing citrus fruits and wine.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2021). Optimising agricultural value chains in Southern Africa after COVID-19. https://saiia.org.za/research/optimising-agricultural-value-chains-in-southern-africa-after-covid-19/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Optimising agricultural value chains in Southern Africa after COVID-19. 2021. https://saiia.org.za/research/optimising-agricultural-value-chains-in-southern-africa-after-covid-19/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Optimising agricultural value chains in Southern Africa after COVID-19 |date=5 May 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/optimising-agricultural-value-chains-in-southern-africa-after-covid-19/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2021optimising, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Optimising agricultural value chains in Southern Africa after COVID-19}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = may, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/optimising-agricultural-value-chains-in-southern-africa-after-covid-19/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }