Africa Continues to Heavily Import Food, with Tunisia Following the Trend
The African continent continues to heavily import its food, and Tunisia is no exception to this dynamic. This is revealed in the report "The State of Commodity Dependence 2025" published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), a document that highlights the continent's food dependence and the accompanying economic vulnerability.
Key Findings
Over the period 2021-2023, Africa imported $97 billion worth of food products, representing a nearly 19% increase compared to 2012-2014. This steady rise tells a story of droughts, climate shocks, demographic pressures, and sometimes, inadequate agricultural policies.
North Africa's Central Role
In this continental picture, North Africa occupies a central position, with several of the continent's largest importers concentrated in this region. Unsurprisingly, Egypt tops the list with $16.4 billion in food imports, largely due to its population of over 110 million people and massive demand for cereals, sugar, oilseeds, and dairy products.
Top Importers
The top importers in Africa are:
- Egypt: $16.4 billion
- Algeria: $9.98 billion
- Morocco: $8.7 billion These three North African countries occupy the continental podium, highlighting the region's reliance on the global market to feed its population.
Broader African Context
Behind these leaders, the African scene expands to include countries further south and west:
- South Africa: $6.07 billion
- Nigeria: $5.59 billion
- Libya: $3.08 billion
- Ethiopia: $3.02 billion
- Kenya: $2.996 billion
- Côte d'Ivoire: $2.898 billion These figures demonstrate that food dependence is not limited to North Africa but affects the entire continent, including emerging economies like South Africa and Nigeria.
Tunisia's Position
Tunisia ranks 10th, with $2.873 billion in food imports, underscoring the country's significant reliance on external sources to meet its food needs.
