Experts Call For Better Roads, Storage and Trade Corridors to Fix Africa’s Farm-to-Market Gap

News in Brief:

—Africa’s agricultural leaders have called for urgent investment in rural roads, storage and logistics to cut post-harvest losses and improve access to markets for smallholder farmers.

—The panel said stronger trade corridors and better value-chain coordination would help move food more efficiently across borders, reduce waste and support rural incomes.

Agricultural experts, lenders and corporate executives have called for fresh investment in rural logistics and transport systems across Africa, warning that weak infrastructure is still blocking millions of smallholder farmers from reaching profitable markets even as farm productivity improves.

At the 2026 Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, panellists said post-harvest losses, poor feeder roads, inadequate cold storage and fragmented supply chains continue to weaken food security and rural incomes across sub-Saharan Africa. Their discussion centred on Africa’s midstream agriculture challenge: the movement, storage and distribution of produce between farms and consumers.

Market Access is Crucial

Max Müller, Global Head of Public Affairs at Bayer, stated that yield gains alone would not solve the continent’s agricultural problems without dependable transport and market-access systems. “Infrastructure is key for African markets,” Müller revealed. “Addressing these midstream issues is exactly what will open doorways for smallholder farmers to access stable, lucrative markets.”

The concerns raised at the forum reflect a long-running challenge across the region, where weak rural transport systems often make it difficult for farmers to move crops to buyers before spoilage sets in.

The World Bank has previously noted that post-harvest losses fall when market access improves, while the World Food Programme (WFP) has described food loss in sub-Saharan Africa as a major contributor to food insecurity.

Value Chain Gap

Smallholder farmers produce a major share of food in sub-Saharan Africa, but poor storage and logistics continue to eat into earnings and push up food prices in cities. Estimates cited in the discussion put post-harvest losses at nearly 40 per cent before produce reaches consumers, underscoring the scale of waste created by weak handling and distribution systems. The World Bank has cited Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates showing that as much as 37 per cent of food produced in sub-Saharan Africa is lost between production and consumption.

Hajar Alafifi, Chief Executive Officer of OCP Africa, said transforming agriculture would require more than input supply and farm-level productivity gains.

“True transformation must rely on an integrated approach combining soil science, innovation, agricultural mechanisation, and broader access to international markets,” she said.

Alafifi added that structured value chains and policies that support intra-African trade would help connect smallholder farmers to commercial opportunities. Her remarks align with the African Continental Free Trade Area’s (AfCFTA) emphasis on trade facilitation, regional value chains and more efficient movement of goods across borders.

Corridor Investments to Connect Systems

Ousmane Dione, Regional Vice President at the World Bank, called for more coordinated infrastructure investment linked to regional trade corridors under the AfCFTA framework.

“Corridors are not just about transportation. They must connect industries, logistics, agriculture, and energy systems,” he said.

This view echoes earlier development research showing that inadequate transport infrastructure can limit the benefits of continental trade integration, especially when rural roads and market links remain weak.

Panellists argued that stronger cross-border trade systems, better feeder roads and improved rural transport networks could reduce food losses, raise farmer incomes and expand access to markets across the continent.

The message from Kigali was clear: Africa’s agricultural challenge is no longer only about producing more food, but also about moving it efficiently from farm to table.