A Path to Prosperity New Directions for African Livestock

6 African Livestock Trade
6.1 Continental Trade, Production
and Consumption
The Forum for Agriculture Research in Africa (FARA)
estimated that Africa produced on average (over the
period 2000–2006) 11.9 million tonnes of meat and
31.0 million tonnes of dairy products annually.
However, consumption outstripped demand by
12.8 million and 36.4 million tonnes respectively 102 .
Since 2000, volumes of imports of meat into Africa
have doubled, whilst imports of dairy products have
risen by over one third. Over the same period,
livestock exports have declined. In 2003 Africa was
purchasing 14% of globally-traded dairy products 103 .
Seven per cent of meat and 15% of the dairy products
consumed in SSA are imported. Figure 4 below
shows the trend 104 . It is estimated that African
exports account for 2% of world trade in meat and
3.8% of world trade in dairy products. These exports,
along with live animal trade, earned Africa
US$0.9 billion in 2006, whilst Sub-Saharan Africa’s
import bill came to around $4.5billion. The deficit of
$3.6billion is equivalent to 0.5% of SSA’s GDP. These
FARA figures are supported by FAO’s 2007 figures,
which estimate Africa spent slightly more, 2.1 and 3.3
billion US$ for meat and dairy product imports 104
(see Figure 2, section 3.1).
Figure 4 Volumes of Meat and Milk Imports into Africa 1961–2006
Net Importer – Africa
’000 metric tonnes
The Impetus Strategy Paper I Page 41