How better data strengthens food supplies in West Africa

 

Although West African farms produce plenty of food, many people in the region live with the constant threat of hunger. With better data tools, policymakers can fight hunger by improving trade in food across the region.

The International Trade Centre (ITC) provides a suite of tools used to analyze trade data and strengthen agricultural value chains. A workshop in Nigeria showed policymakers from across the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) how to use those tools to sure that food grown in the region reaches people who want to buy it.

The training, provided in English and in French, explained how to use ITC tools to evaluate export potential and market opportunities for cassava, maize, onions, pineapple, rice, and tomatoes. Factsheets on value chains for these foods were provided to support communication and policymaking.

‘The tools presented were highly relevant, the discussions rich, and the training environment made learning both effective and enjoyable,’ said Jean Hugues Amichia, Senior Project Officer at Côte d’Ivoire Export.

ITC, under the ECOWAS Agricultural Trade (EAT) Programme, conducted the workshop in Abuja, Nigeria from 24 to 27 March 2025. The workshop brought together 43 West African policymakers from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

The participants – 16% of whom were women – included key ECOWAS Directorates as well as national statistical offices, trade promotion agencies and regional research institutes.

Special attention went to exploring how food is traded in the informal economy. ITC technical experts led a review of the ECOWAS Informal Cross-Border Trade database.

The database was developed by Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel and the West African Association for Cross-Border Trade in Agro-Forestry-Pastoral and Fisheries Products.

They also tested a new interactive dashboard created by ITC to visualize informal trade data in the region. These tools give insights that are often overlooked in formal trade statistics. Participants provided feedback for enhancing the tools, such as adding domestic supply-demand data and improving the dashboard’s usability with clearer language. 

With reliable data tools and methodologies, this initiative strengthens the foundation for more effective food trade policy and deeper integration in West Africa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Trade Centre.