Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe Backs AfCFTA Agri-Trade Plan to Boost Regional Agricultural Exports

Zimbabwe has thrown its weight behind the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agri-trade Action Plan, describing the strategy as closely aligned with the country's drive to expand agricultural production, agro-industrialisation and regional trade.

The strategy seeks to accelerate intra-African agricultural trade by closing the gap between production and market access.

It prioritises strategic agricultural value chains, including cotton and cashew, while promoting the removal of non-tariff barriers, harmonisation of food standards and improved border efficiency to shift Africa from exporting raw commodities to developing integrated regional value chains.

The plan also aims to align national agricultural production strategies with continental trade liberalisation commitments by strengthening coordination between ministries responsible for agriculture and trade.

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Briefing Cabinet on Tuesday, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Amon Murwira said he had participated in the 18th Meeting of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers responsible for Trade, held in Abuja, Nigeria, last week.

Murwira said the meeting advanced Zimbabwe's constitutional commitment to regional economic integration while fulfilling its obligations as a member state of the African Union.

He said ministers reviewed progress in transitioning the AfCFTA from the negotiation phase to full implementation and assessed the impact of the evolving global trade environment on Africa's industrialisation, regional value chains and intra-African trade.

"To further drive continental growth, the Council adopted the AfCFTA Agri-trade Action Plan, a strategy designed to transform agriculture into a driver of agro-industrialisation and food security, a move Zimbabwe strongly endorsed to strengthen regional value chains.

"The 18th Meeting of the Council of Ministers concluded with the unanimous endorsement of Zimbabwe to host the 19th Council of Ministers Meeting in Victoria Falls in 2027 as well as hosting the 2029 Intra-African Trade Fair," Murwira said.

As part of implementing the strategy, the AfCFTA Secretariat has partnered with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to mobilise sustainable financing, promote agro-industrialisation and reduce post-harvest losses along strategic agricultural trade corridors.

The initiative will also introduce simplified Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) compliance regimes aimed at reducing regulatory costs and barriers for smallholder farmers, women and youth participating in cross-border agricultural trade.

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