IGAD steps up push for seamless cross-border food trade under AfCFTA

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has ramped up efforts to dismantle persistent technical trade barriers across East Africa by fast-tracking Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.

The initiative aims to unlock seamless cross-border trade for agricultural produce, cutting down red tape and harmonizing standards among member states.

Speaking on the first day of the 2 day workshop, Director of Policy at Kenya’s State Department of Agriculture, Kennedy Anahinga, emphasized that the framework extends far beyond administrative paperwork.

"Advancing MRAs is therefore not a technical exercise for regulators alone; it is a trade facilitation agenda that speaks directly to jobs, incomes, and food systems resilience across our region," Anahinga stated.

He noted that Kenya, which became the first country to ratify the AfCFTA agreement in 2019, is currently pursuing continental accreditation for its national certification systems to ensure local exports access the wider African market without friction.

Dr. Mohyeldeen Eltohami, Director at IGAD, emphasized that regional integration must translate into tangible operational efficiency at border posts. "An agreement on paper will not be enough. The real success of the MRA will be measured by what happens at our borders, in our laboratories, in our certification bodies, and ultimately in the hands of our traders and producers," he stated.

He said that maximizing the real gains of intra-regional trade requires member states to move beyond traditional compliance by fostering cross-border institutional collaboration, sharing technical expertise, and integrating robust digital trade facilitation tools alongside standard physical inspection protocols.

Ms. Evelyne Heyi, Assistant Director of Agriculture, reiterated that harmonized standards remain critical to building cross-border commercial trust. "Mutual Recognition Agreements will not only reduce costs and delays but also build confidence among trading partners, enabling our agricultural sector to thrive under AfCFTA."

The push comes against the backdrop of the 2025 IGAD Regional Agricultural Trade Assessment Study, which pinpointed fragmented quality infrastructure and uncoordinated certification as major bottlenecks holding back regional agricultural commerce.

Also present, AfCFTA Secretariat Head of Non-Tariff Measures and Barriers Elimination, Deneswaree Mohun, asserted that modernizing Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) frameworks alongside digital verification systems is essential to safeguarding public health while keeping border posts clear of unnecessary gridlock.

The Nairobi workshop, supported under the Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP), is expected to deliver a validated regional roadmap and targeted recommendations for priority agricultural value chains across the IGAD trading bloc.