Bridging the Information Gaps [ Print | E-mail ]

The AMPRIP in collaboration with IITA is working towards the establishment of a COMESA-wide Food and Agriculture Market Information System (FAMIS).

The FAMIS is an electronic web based information system that captures trade information for major tradable commodities in the region. It aims at improving agricultural marketing through the dissemination of market information, policy changes and impacts in order to enhance decision making by all stake-holders thereby improving policy implementation in Member States.

Once operational the website will feature critical information such as prices, regional wide crop production statistics, supply and demand figures, policy changes and impacts and the regulations and procedures that govern trade in the member states. The FAMIS will also go further to highlight the existing opportunities for investment in the region and enhance the promotion of investment in agriculture in the region.

The FAMIS will consolidate the input of all Member States who will be able to post and update the website with all the market information and conditions obtaining in the member states. This will ensure a continuous flow of information on topical and emerging issues in trade and will Ensure the availability of reliable and timely market information that will help traders make informed choices and understand the peculiarities of the agriculture markets in the region.

COMESA recognises that making the e-system work for trade will not happen automatically. Member states will have to manage and maintain the system for it to be effective and sustainable.

Further more, support strategies will have to be put in place to address realities such as high transport costs and infrastr ucture development, to bridge the digital divide to trade. Without developing these complimentary structures the e-system will be insignificant. Another local reality is awareness creation and capacity building for all stakeholders and beneficiaries in the usage of the system

If the FAMIS is to be successful and useful in trading partnerships, usage needs be extended to all, especially to those in the private sector and at the grassroots. Accessibility should be created and the information needs of the users addressed.

Though the AMPRIP will bridge the gap, much of work remains with the member states to create a support system for the FAMIS so that its success and benefits can be mirrored in the trading operations of Member States both at the national and regional levels

Dealing with Food Safety

Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures have long been the constraining factors to accessing international agricultural markets. The COMESA Member States have been boxed into a trading structure that allows minimal exports into the foreign markets. Trade is governed by a circus of rules and regulations and the region is constantly reminded of the WTO science based approach to trade. The region has lost a big share in the world market and this has been particularly due to the compromised food quality standards of Member States and failure of the countries to develop their SPS strategies to capture trade in foreign markets.

COMESA is however taking a leading role in breaking through the trade barriers and steering regional trade for African growth and development. COMESA's vision is to put in place a system that will enable producers and traders in the member states to trade with one another and with countries outside the region without any hindrances resulting from concerns of risk arising from animal and plant diseases.

This system shall entail building and strengthening of the SPS capacity of the member states. This shall imply continuous SPS training of the private and public sector players, training of technical and support laboratory and support laboratory technicians on SPS measures and providing additional support to legislative and regulatory reforms in member states. Other activities shall be directed towards monitoring and controlling plant, pests and animal diseases and risk assessments to implement plant health programs for production and exports.

COMESA shall also go further to set up three regional reference laboratories. These shall enhance COMESA's trade facilitation in the international markets and consequentially improve the region's export earnings.

The harmonization of SPS measures is a part of COMESA's vision to enhance Intra and Extra Regional trade. Effectively dealing with SPS measures and building the regions capacity to meet the food quality needs in the international markets is the first step to developing trade in the region and increasing export earnings which shall consequentially translate in the regions economic growth and development.

Access to the international markets is important for the region as the wider economic space and competitiveness it offers stimulate product development, induced growth in productivity and consequentially improve the region food security.