African Leaders Push Unified Livestock Market Under AfCFTA
African leaders unveil a joint strategy to modernise livestock trade, boost investment and build a competitive continental market under AfCFTA.
African leaders have agreed on a coordinated plan to transform the African livestock market into a globally competitive industry by reducing trade barriers, attracting private investment and strengthening regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The commitment was announced during the ministerial session of the inaugural African Pastoral Markets Forum, where ministers from Ethiopia, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Somalia, alongside the African Union Commission, endorsed measures to modernise the sector and promote value addition.
Speaking at the forum, Moses Vilakati, the African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, said Africa holds nearly one-third of the world’s livestock resources but still exports live animals while importing processed meat and dairy products. He described the African livestock market as one of the continent’s most valuable yet underdeveloped economic sectors, with the potential to improve food security, create jobs and drive industrial growth.
Vilakati called for greater investment in livestock corridors, veterinary services, water infrastructure, market facilities and harmonised cross-border trade regulations.
The forum, organised by the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), also secured commitments to strengthen disease surveillance, expand animal traceability systems, remove non-tariff barriers and improve access to finance.
Nigeria’s Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, said Africa must move beyond subsistence pastoralism by developing commercially driven livestock enterprises. He noted that Nigeria is investing in ranch development, modern livestock markets, veterinary services and traceability systems to strengthen the African livestock market and reduce dependence on imported livestock.
Officials from Kenya, Uganda, Somalia and Namibia also highlighted reforms aimed at improving livestock quality, digitising veterinary certification, expanding value-added industries, strengthening disease control and enhancing regional cooperation. They agreed that better infrastructure, predictable regulations and science-based production systems are essential for increasing Africa’s competitiveness in global livestock trade.
Do you think a unified livestock market under AfCFTA can significantly boost Africa’s agricultural and economic growth?
