Optimising agricultural value chains in Southern Africa after COVID-19

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the impact of COVID-19 on agricultural value chains within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It argues that while the agricultural sector was less severely affected than others, the pandemic exacerbated existing structural weaknesses, such as food insecurity and a heavy reliance on subsistence farming. The document proposes a 'dual approach' to development that supports both small-scale and large-scale commercial farming, alongside the adoption of digital technologies, climate-smart infrastructure, and the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to drive regional integration and growth.

• The SADC region should adopt a 'dual approach' to agricultural development that simultaneously creates opportunities for small-scale subsistence farming and large-scale, export-geared commercial farming, as both provide distinct socioeconomic and economic benefits.
• COVID-19 exacerbated existing challenges in SADC agro-value chains, most notably increasing food insecurity. Approximately 44.8 million people in southern Africa were food insecure according to a 2020 Synthesis Report, representing a 10% increase between 2019 and 2020. Additionally, 20.5 million schoolchildren lost access to school-provided meals and nutrition services.
• The agricultural sector in SADC faces significant structural hurdles, including a lack of heterogeneity in agricultural activities among member countries, a strong dependence on subsistence farming, and 'sustained neglect' that has turned Africa from a key agricultural exporter in the 1960s into a net importer.
• Climate change and extreme weather have created growing uncertainty in food production. In 2018, over 41 million people across 13 of 16 SADC countries were food insecure due to El Niño-induced drought. More recently, in 2020, Zimbabwe saw a 57% drop in maize production due to economic instability and poor rainfall, while Lesotho, Mozambique, and eSwatini faced dry spells.
• The implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which took effect in January 2021, is viewed as a critical lever for regional integration. It could protect small-scale farmers and emerging industries by eliminating tariffs on 90% of goods and guaranteeing free movement across the continent.
• To future-proof the sector, the document recommends the digitalization of agro-value chains to optimize interactions between farmers, financiers, and logistics providers, as well as the formation of public-private partnerships to develop resilient, climate-smart infrastructure.

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} }