2025-06-02-世界银行-非洲粮食安全运输互联互通_加强供应链（英）_176页_11mb

Summary: Transport Connectivity for Food Security in Africa

Core Content

This report, Transport Connectivity for Food Security in Africa: Strengthening Supply Chains, explores the relationship between transport infrastructure and food security in Sub-Saharan Africa. It highlights how weak transport systems contribute to food insecurity, high costs, and inefficiencies in the supply chain. The authors emphasize the importance of improving transport connectivity at both local and regional levels to enhance food distribution, reduce waste, and increase resilience against shocks.

Main Messages

• Food production has increased, but the number of food-insecure people has also risen, partly due to poor transport connectivity.
• Africa relies heavily on overseas food imports, with only 5% of cereal trade occurring within the continent.
• Transport costs are high, often inflated by market distortions and inefficient systems.
• Food supply chains are long and inefficient, with an average distance of 4,000 kilometers and delays caused by poor infrastructure and bottlenecks.
• Storage capacity is limited, leading to significant postharvest losses (up to 37% of locally produced food is wasted).
• Regional trade barriers increase trade costs by 8–25%, hindering the exchange of food between countries.
• Poor rural access isolates farmers from markets, with 60% living more than 2 km from all-season roads.

Key Findings and Recommendations

Key Findings

• Transport infrastructure deficiencies are a major obstacle to food security in Africa.
• Inefficient border crossings and ports cause delays and increase costs.
• Regional economic blocs can play a crucial role in improving food exchange, but trade policies and NTBs hinder progress.
• Food loss is significant, with poor storage and cold chain infrastructure contributing to waste.
• Transport costs are a critical factor, affecting both producers and consumers.

Recommendations

• Upgrade seaports and maritime corridors to improve efficiency and reduce delays.
• Streamline customs and border controls to cut costs and time for goods movement.
• Invest in regional transport corridors to connect surplus and deficit areas.
• Address non-tariff barriers (NTBs) to reduce trade costs and promote regional trade.
• Encourage competition in transport services and support new operators through financing.
• Improve rural transport networks to enhance access and reduce distribution costs.
• Develop modern storage facilities and cold chain infrastructure to reduce postharvest losses.
• Strengthen public-private partnerships to fund and improve storage and transport systems.

Critical Data and Statistics

• Food travels 4,000 km on average in Africa, taking up to 10 times longer than in developed regions.
• Only 52 out of 138 seaports in Africa are equipped to handle significant food volumes.
• 36% of food is lost during transport due to poor handling and storage.
• Transport costs can be reduced by 10%, potentially increasing trade by 25%.
• 60% of rural populations in Africa live more than 2 km from all-season roads.
• Food storage capacity is less than 30% of annual production, leading to vulnerability during emergencies.

Impact of Transport on Food Security

Transport connectivity is essential for ensuring that food reaches those in need. Poor transport systems lead to delays, higher costs, and increased food waste, all of which contribute to food insecurity. The report emphasizes that transport infrastructure is not just about roads and ports but also about logistics, storage, and the ability to move goods efficiently across regions.

Conclusion

The report identifies 50 critical investments to improve transport connectivity and food security in Africa. These include modernizing 20 critical land border crossings, improving 20 regional road corridors, and upgrading 10 high-stress ports. By addressing these issues, Africa can build more resilient, efficient, and equitable food supply chains, ensuring better access to food and reducing the risk of food insecurity.

Key Contributors and Partners

• Axel van Trotsenburg (Senior Managing Director, The World Bank)
• Guangzhe Chen, Nicolas Peltier-Theberge, Binyam Reja (Supervisors)
• ITP Royal HaskoningDHV team (Modeling and technical analysis)
• Equitable Maritime Consultants (World Bank Global Freight Flow Model and Explorer)
• Participants in the Addis Ababa roundtable (Ministers, UN officials, and regional experts)

Appendices and Supporting Materials

• Boxes: Highlight case studies and regional insights, such as Ethiopia’s national storage system and regional approaches in West Africa.
• Figures: Illustrate food flow patterns, transport cost variations, and the impact of natural risks on food transport.
• Maps: Show critical transport links and nodes, as well as regional food distribution networks.
• Tables: Provide data on trade balances, transport costs, and the distribution of food across regions.

Final Note

The report serves as a roadmap for action, urging African countries to invest in transport and logistics to build stronger, more resilient food systems. It underscores the importance of evidence-based policy making, capacity building, and collaboration with regional partners to achieve food security and economic growth.