By Mᴀʀʏ Mᴡᴇɴᴅᴇ,
October 9, 2025
This week, a major panel discussion under the COMESA EU Horticulture Connect platform brought together experts to address technical issues around market access, regional trade, and competitiveness in the African horticulture sector. The conversation featured key contributions from Watipaso Mkandawire, senior expert on regional food trade at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and Dr. Chagema Kedera from COLEAD, a non-profit organization working to link agriculture, entrepreneurship, and development across Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.
The dialogue centered on the complexity of trade in COMESA countries and the EU market, highlighting challenges that include unpredictability of policies, fragmented smallholder production, regulatory compliance, infrastructure bottlenecks, and the need for data-driven decision-making.
Trade Policy Predictability and Regional Integration
Watipaso Mkandawire explained that one of the major impediments to intra-African trade is the lack of predictable policies across the region. “Investors are discouraged because policies keep changing every day. Export bans, import bans, new taxes; these sudden changes make it difficult for anyone to commit resources,” he said.
The UK government-backed Africa Food Trade and Resilience program, managed by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), seeks to bring predictability for investors and collaborate with regional institutions to facilitate smoother trade within COMESA and beyond.
Smallholder Farmers and the Role of Aggregators
A recurring theme was the fragmentation of smallholder farmers who form the backbone of Africa’s agricultural production. Mkandawire noted, “It is difficult to coordinate smallholder farmers and aggregate produce consistently with quality.” The panel agreed on the critical need to invest in aggregators who can collect produce from small-scale farmers, ensure compliance with standards, and maintain steady supply to meet both regional and export market demands. This link is particularly vital in horticulture, where the “first mile” logistics; from rural farms to markets, often lack infrastructure and road networks.
Navigating EU Market Standards and Regulatory Changes
Dr. Chagema Kedera outlined COLEAD’s extensive work in market access, regulatory monitoring, research innovation, and standards compliance. According to Kedera, the high number of interceptions of consignments from COMESA to the EU; more than 1,287 between 2020 and 2024, is a significant challenge, mainly due to pests and documentation errors.
Testing Infrastructure: A Priority for Compliance
Another critical issue raised was the lack of rapid and reliable testing infrastructure in the region. Most testing currently relies on public sector laboratories, which are often slow due to procurement and operational bottlenecks. Private labs exist but are few. Participants agreed that developing a network of quality private laboratories with harmonized standard operating procedures across countries is essential to reduce reliance on EU laboratories, expedite test results, and lower the risk of rejected consignments. Enhanced testing capacity would enable farmers and exporters to plan better and meet regulatory requirements efficiently.
Logistics: A Major Roadblock to Regional Trade
Panel members concurred that logistics remains a bottleneck undermining the competitiveness of intra-African trade. Remarkably, it is often cheaper to export agricultural products from the region to Europe than to neighbouring countries due to poor road, rail, and air freight infrastructure. “Transporting a tonne of potatoes from Tanzania to the Democratic Republic of Congo costs more than to Amsterdam,” said a representative from the Tanzania Horticultural Association. The panel urged governments and development partners to prioritize cross-border infrastructure upgrades and streamlined customs procedures to facilitate faster and cheaper movement of goods.
The Rise of Organic Farming and Sustainability
The organic movement in Kenya and the broader COMESA region emerged as a promising but niche area. Dr. Kedera noted that organic farming aligns perfectly with growing international consumer demand for sustainably produced horticultural products. However, the challenge is the region’s pest-rich environment, demanding careful application of organic practices to avoid contamination. Investment in training and awareness is vital to nurture this sector’s growth and meet stringent EU sustainability standards.
Capital and Partnerships to Boost Competitiveness
Addressing the need for financing solutions, Mkandawire highlighted the UK government’s ongoing support through platforms like the COMESA East Africa Horticulture Accelerator (CEHA). These platforms unite public and private sector actors to tackle shared challenges in logistics, seed systems, capital access, and value chain development. He underscored “patient capital” as critical investment that matches the long-term nature of infrastructure projects such as cold chains and aggregation hubs. Strengthening partnerships and coordinated investments can drive efficiency and competitiveness in regional horticultural trade.
Data and Digitization: Building Market Intelligence
A fundamental barrier identified was the lack of robust, accessible data to inform production, trade planning, and compliance. The panel revealed efforts are underway to develop a regional food balance sheet and digital platforms to monitor crops and trade flows. Improved data infrastructure will enable stakeholders to anticipate market opportunities, manage supply better, reduce interceptions, and enhance compliance with international standards.