Analysis of Agri-Food Trade Structures
To Promote Agri-Food Trade Networks
In the Islamic Countries
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The OIC can support inter-institutional coordination to forge inclusive, sustainable trade
through a focus on the external factors that improve coordination such as:
 Research and information initiatives that collect competent evidence on the concerns
and preferences of actors in the various agri-food sectors;
 Monitoring and evaluation of project implementation that is regular, standardized and
linked to existing targets; and
 Project financing that is attached to requirements for harmonizing policy planning
process/documents to financial operations within ministries.
Halal
During the interview, participants were queried about halal certification, but this was not yet an
issue for mass production facilities in the livestock sector.
Recent Evolution of the Trade Policy Environment
A distinct feature of Cameroon’s trade policy environment is its membership of regional groups
that deal not only with trade policy but also agricultural policy.
Currently, the REC most relevant for Cameroon's agri-food trade is the Central African Economic
and Monetary Community (CEMAC). However, the country also belongs to the Economic
Community of Central African States (ECCAS) which has the lowest intra-regional trade of all of
Africa’s five sub regions, and thus limited relevance for agri-food trade 50 In 2014’s Cameroon,
despite opposition from its neighbors entered into the European Union Economic Partnership
Agreement (EPA) which excludes most agri-food products.51 Furthermore Cameroon borders
Nigeria which belongs to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region.
Cross-border trade among Cameroon OIC members can be entertained in a joint ECOWAS-
ECCAS program.
CEMAC
CEMAC represents a market of 42.5 million people spread over 3 million square kilometers.
Cameroon contains over half the region's population and contributes 28.6% to the regional
GDP.52 Cameroon is the only net agricultural products exporter in this Regional Economic
Community (REC) and is the most significant trading partner of each CEMAC member country.53
It also supplies a wide range of agri-food products and maintains a positive trade balance in
intra-CEMAC flows.54
However, the challenge for trade networks in CEMAC is that countries share structural
similarities such as undiversified production structures (few exports mostly in the form of
natural resources).55 In 2016, Cameroon’s top exports to all CEMAC members were edible
products of animal origin and the top destination for all agricultural exports was Gabon.
5
51 European Commission (2014). The EU and Cameroon Implement Economic Partnership Agreement. June 28. Brussels.
52 World Trade Organization (2013). Trade policy Report: Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic and Chad.
53Nkendah, R. (2014). The informal cross-border trade of agricultural commodities between Cameroon and its CEMAC
Neighbours. Paper for the NSF/ARG/IGC Conference. Mombasa Kenya.
54 Ibid pp. 7
55 International Monetary Fund. (2015) Central African Economic and Monetary Community: Selected Issues. IMF Country
Report 15/308