Delivering on regional agricultural trade in Africa: considerations for investors on inclusive supply chains.

Abstract

• This report provides a review of the challenges and benefits of inclusive supply chains in African agriculture from the perspective of investors. • Capital providers stand to benefit from enhancing inclusiveness and rural producer agency in regionally traded commodities where they are engaged, as this leads to stable and sustainable supply chains. • A number of recommendations are made to investors, including considering contracts when providing technical assistance and favouring incentives over sanctions, intervening beyond contracts to enable producers to negotiate from a position of greater strength, offering producers support in weighing the costs and benefits of different market options before discussing any contractual formulations, and considering social differentiation and how it affects contracts in commercial agriculture—not only between farmers and their value chain partners but within the farming family, considering gender, age and other factors.