Enhancing Intra-Comesa Agricultural Trade through SME Development

15 - 16 September 2013. 5th Joint COMESA Ministerial meeting of agriculture, environment and natural resources. The economic significance of agriculture in COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) region is overshadowed by its low productivity due to less mechanized production, infrastructure challenges and dependency on rain-fed agriculture, COMESA said.

COMESA Assistant Secretary General, Ambassador Dr. Kipyego Cheluget said this has brought about food insecurity and slow development of agricultural industry in the region. Currently, the region is showing mixed food security developments with some countries registering increased crop and livestock production while others are showing deficits, he said. COMESA is working with partners to address food security and improvement of livestock production.

Intra-COMESA trade through micro, small and medium enterprises development will add value to development and promote regional integration. Agriculture represents more than 30 percent of the COMESA region’s GDP and provides livelihoods to about 80 percent of the total population. It accounts for 65 percent of foreign exchange earnings too. The two-day meeting was undertaken under the theme: “Enhancing Intra-COMESA Trade through Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development”. The meeting reviewed the implementation of agricultural, environmental and natural resources development in the region.