Despite significant gains in agricultural production, food insecurity remains a pressing challenge across Sub-Saharan Africa, according to a new World Bank report.
The bank highlights that while more food is being grown, millions of people still struggle to access nutritious meals due to inefficiencies in how food moves across the continent.
The report, titled “Transport Connectivity for Food Security in Africa: Strengthening Supply Chains” and authored by Charles Kunaka, Megersa Abera Abate, Théophile Bougna Lonla, and Kisanet Haile Molla, points to inadequate investment in transport and logistics as a key barrier.
The World Bank explains that poor roads, inefficient border crossings, and supply chain bottlenecks mean that food takes on average four times longer to reach consumers in Sub-Saharan Africa than it does in Europe.
This results in higher costs, increased spoilage, with as much as 36 percent of food lost before reaching the table, and reduced accessibility.
“Weak transport and logistics systems delay deliveries, drive up costs, and increase food waste,” the report states.
The bank further criticizes many African countries for importing food from distant overseas markets instead of trading with their neighbors.
It explains that this is largely due to unreliable local transport networks and restrictive trade policies that make cross-border commerce difficult, effectively encouraging dependence on far-flung suppliers.
“This is a critical but often overlooked issue,” the report emphasizes, urging African nations to invest strategically in logistics infrastructure to reverse the food insecurity trend.
The World Bank Group reinforces its commitment to the cause through initiatives like the Food Security and Nutrition Action Plan and Global Challenge Programs, aimed at building stronger, more resilient food systems that can better withstand shocks and ensure food reaches those who need it most.
Highlighting the urgency, the report notes that the food-insecure population in Africa has increased by 60 percent over the past decade, far outpacing agricultural productivity growth, which rose only 20 percent in the same period.
“Although agricultural production in Africa increased by 160 percent over the past 30 years, surpassing the global average of 100 percent, the continent’s food insecurity has worsened, underscoring that productivity gains alone are insufficient,” the authors explain.
The report calls for coordinated investment in transport infrastructure and policy reform to improve supply chains and ensure that increased food production translates into better nutrition and food security across the continent.
