Alarm bells

Ukraine war: A wake-up call for Africa to increase inter-continental trade

By Chema Triki, Rania Ramli

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Posted on May 18, 2022 13:29

A worker collects wheat at the Benha grain silos, in Al Qalyubia Governorate, Egypt, May 15, 2022. REUTERS/Shokry Hussien
A worker collects wheat at the Benha grain silos, in Al Qalyubia Governorate, Egypt, May 15, 2022. REUTERS/Shokry Hussien

Over the past couple of months, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has severely disrupted the supply of essential crops to Africa and led to significant price increases for agricultural goods and energy, with prices skyrocketing across the globe.

Most of Russia’s imports to Africa are agricultural goods, with 90% of these agricultural goods being made up of wheat and 6% from sunflower oil in 2020. Similarly, 48% of Ukraine’s agricultural exports to Africa were made up of wheat and 31% of maize.

The crisis has led to a significant food price inflation in many African countries, where food accounts for a significant proportion of consumer spending, making up 40% in sub-Saharan Africa. Between February and March 2022, inflation for the cereals index reached more than 17% and the vegetable oil index was up by 23% in Africa. Wheat prices have also seen an increase of 27% since Russia’s invasion.

This will increase the number of people living in poverty and impact food security in already fragile countries. Some areas are even facing food shortages and the risk of starvation.

Global cohesion

Like Covid-19, this crisis highlights the

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