Why well-meaning food policies keep failing in the region
By Ethical Business Analysis Desk
East Africa’s agriculture sector is vital to livelihoods, employment and food security. Yet persistent policy barriers, particularly around cross-border trade, subsidy design and regulatory coordination, are undermining the region’s capacity to absorb shocks and deliver affordable, nutritious food. Policy frameworks across the East African Community (EAC) fall short of enabling an efficient, equitable and resilient food system.
Cross-border trade fragments regional markets
Despite the EAC’s Common Market and Simplified Trade Regime (STR), numerous non-tariff barriers (NTBs) impede the free flow of agricultural goods. Traders moving small consignments (2–5 tonnes of cereals) between Uganda and Kenya report having to interact with up to seven different government agencies at borders, incurring inspection, testing and certification charges equivalent to around US$200, roughly 10 percent of a typical consignment’s value, before goods move formally across the frontier.
High certification and phytosanitary fees are not confined to cereals. A recent study on agroecological produce found inspection, certification and residue analysis costs of $250 and $140 per consignment respectively, plus consular charges, customs delays and poor utilisation of STR preferential lists. These cumulative costs, alongside multiple currencies and poor transport infrastructure, push many small traders into informal “panya” channels.
Industry voices and policy practitioners consistently highlight these bottlenecks. Kiiza Africa, a trade and agroecology consultant, told stakeholders that “smallholder farmers will continue being locked out of formal markets” without systematic removal of fees and procedural burdens.
National measures can also exacerbate regional fragmentation. Uganda’s introduction of a US$10 per metric tonne levy on by-products such as maize bran and wheat bran, intended to promote domestic processing, has raised costs for regional buyers including Kenyan animal feed processors, inflating consumer prices.
These frictions disrupt established supply chains. Isaac Kashaija, chairman of the Uganda Rice Business Association, described how regulatory complexity has replaced direct farm pickups by traders with protracted border delays: “we now have to wait at the Mutukula border or in Kampala for Tanzanian drivers to deliver.”
Subsidies and tariffs do not align regionally
Policy instruments such as input subsidies, tariffs and levies can support producers, but when deployed incoherently they distort regional markets. East African agricultural policies remain largely inward-looking, with member states pursuing disparate approaches to subsidies and tariff protection rather than harmonising strategies to expand regional competitiveness. A regional assessment found that many national food and nutrition strategies do not sufficiently encourage cross-border trade in food commodities, and lack operational implementation frameworks.
The EAC’s Common External Tariff (CET) regime aimed to liberalise internal tariffs, reducing the average applied tariff from pre-union levels of 9–16.8 percent down to about 11.6 percent. Yet staple foods remain classified as sensitive items, meaning they are often excluded from full liberalisation. This dampens intra-regional trade and contributes to the region remaining a net importer of food staples, with food import bills in Eastern and Southern Africa projected to exceed US$100 billion by 2025.
Coordination and governance gaps persist
Food systems policy demands horizontal integration across agriculture, trade, transport and health ministries, as well as vertical coherence from national capitals to border agencies. Yet fragmentation persists. Harmful procedural overlap between standards, plant health, customs and phytosanitary authorities raises compliance costs without corresponding gains in safety or market access.
This problem disproportionately affects women and youth traders, who form a substantial share of intra-regional agri-food trade but lack the financial and informational capital to navigate complex regulatory regimes. The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the East African Business Council (EABC) have documented how NTBs such as sanitary and phytosanitary requirements, certificates of origin, import levies and road user charges exclude smaller actors from formal trade even where legal frameworks such as the STR exist.
Leaders in regional food policy forums emphasise that simplified, gender-responsive customs procedures and digital tools for trade documentation could expand participation. Implementation remains uneven.
Food security risks rise
These policy blind spots have real effects on food security. The EAC Secretariat notes that post-harvest losses in the region average 30–40 percent, driven by insufficient storage, weak market linkages and poor infrastructure, challenges that are intensified by regulatory delays and trade barriers.
High food import costs compound domestic vulnerabilities. Kenya alone spends an estimated over KSh200 billion annually on food imports.
Implications for sustainable business and inclusive growth
For senior executives, investors and policymakers, these structural obstacles point to a clear imperative: deepen policy harmonisation, streamline cross-border trade procedures, and align subsidy and tariff regimes with regional market opportunities. Addressing NTBs could unlock formal trade, reduce costs for consumers and create more inclusive value chains.
Reforming border procedures, synchronising standards and strengthening institutional coordination across EAC states would not only reduce frictions but also bolster regional resilience to climate and market shocks. Without these reforms, the region risks perpetuating a fragmented food system that fails farmers, traders and consumers alike.
SDG Alignment
- SDG 2 — Zero Hunger
- SDG 16 — Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
