The two-way agricultural trade volume between the US and countries in Southern Africa reached a record $1.5 billion last year, according to most recent international ag trade report from the USDA.
The Foreign Agricultural Service defines the Southern Africa region as the countries of Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, eSwatini, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The region is home to 167 million people.
“South Africa is sort of the entry point, an anchor, for a lot of Africa,” said Ted McKinney, undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs at USDA, who recently visited the region on an agriculture trade mission.
According to estimates, more than 9 billion people will inhabit Earth by 2050. McKinney said a large percentage of that growth will come from Africa. As more African families enter the middle class, there will be a higher demand for protein and nutritious food, he said.
He believes that reforms to minimize, reduce or eliminate corruption will also play a key role in future trade deals.
Source: farmingportal.co.za
