Set up commodity marketing groups in the sub-region - Researchers

Accra (Greater Accra), 12^th November 99

Food marketing researchers at a day's workshop in Accra, on Thursday called for economic integration and co-operation in the production and distribution of food in West Africa.

The researchers said this was necessary for the survival of the economies of West African countries in the face of the negligible impact of African trade on the world economy.

They have therefore urged African governments to set up commodity marketing groups in their agricultural and trade ministries to oversee the effective formulation and integrated application of food marketing policies.

This would safeguard the interest of the food production and distribution sectors of the sub-region.

The recommendations were made at a workshop on "Effective food marketing systems in Ghana", organised and sponsored by the Network for Sustainable Food Security in Central and West Africa (RESEAU GHANEEN).

The workshop was attended by about 40 food marketing researchers, individual livestock and crop farmers and traders and representatives of farmers and traders organisations.

Other participants include representatives of Ministries of Food and Agriculture and of Trade and Industry as well as the chairmen of parliamentary committees on food and agriculture and of trade and industry.

Dr Samuel Asuming-Brempong, Head of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ghana, observed that while internal food marketing systems in African countries remain underdeveloped, very little attention has been paid in terms of policies to food markets across borders.

He said such impediments as lack of proper physical facilities in most markets, uniformity in weights, no standards of grading, access roads and transportation among others, coupled with substantial tariff and non-tariff

trade barriers, are the result of rudimentary marketing of farms produce at the regional and sub-regional levels.

"Available research findings show that Inter-regional trade within the West African sub-region has been limited, averaging less than 10 per cent of total trade since 1996, compared to 70 per cent for Western Europe".

Dr Asuming-Brempong noted that this figure is dwindling by the day, saying that between 1980 and 1994 the figure declined by about 58 per cent, amounting to about six billion dollars in lost revenue to the sub-region

Whilst the situation remains bad in recent times, trade among African countries also keep declining at a rate of between 0.5 and six per cent annually.

"Given the fact that the impact of African trade on the world economy continues to be negligible, making regionalism and economic co-operation increasingly relevant in the emancipation efforts of sub-Saharan Africa, cannot be over-emphasized".

Dr Asuming-Brempong blamed the low trade levels among West African countries on lack of political will on the part of governments, balance of payment problems and high cost of transaction cost among others.

He therefore called on governments to adopt an integrated policy approach to ensure that trade in crops, livestock and currencies, is done under properly fashioned regulations for the benefit of food producers and distributors in the sub-region.

"Such integrated policies should be administered by commodity marketing groups made up of farmers, traders, government representatives and food marketing experts to ensure smooth application.

"It would also serve as the source of information and technical support for farmers and traders in the sub-region."

Other topics discussed at the workshop include developing effective food supply and distribution systems in rapidly expanding urban centres and enhancing food market information availability and distribution.

GRi