African Ministers Seek More Livestock Investment to Reduce Food Imports

Agriculture and livestock ministers from eight African countries have called for increased investment, stronger regional trade and improved value chains to reduce the continent’s dependence on food imports.

The call was made at a livestock ministerial roundtable during the Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, Rwanda.

Africa currently spends an estimated 70 to 100 billion dollars each year on food imports, despite having large agricultural resources and about one-fifth of the world’s cattle.

Participants said Africa produces only about five per cent of global milk, while demand for animal-source foods is expected to rise sharply by 2050.

Director-General of the International Livestock Research Institute, Appolinaire Djikeng, said Africa needs to move proven livestock innovations to a larger scale through investment and regional trade.

The ministers identified livestock-specific financing as a key priority, calling for longer-term funding that reflects livestock production cycles.

They also called for harmonised standards, easier cross-border trade, animal identification and traceability, stronger livestock representation in government, and increased knowledge sharing among countries.

Ethiopia was cited as an example of targeted investment, with milk production reportedly rising from 7.1 billion litres in 2022 to 15.7 billion litres in 2025/26.

However, feed supply remains a major challenge.

The ministers agreed to strengthen financing, animal health, trade, data and governance systems under the 10-year Integrated Regional Livestock Value Chain programme to 2035.