Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022
Context
In recent years, the Republic of Congo has faced significant challenges in achieving food security. The National Agricultural Development Plans for the periods 2014-2018 and 2018-2022 aimed to transition from subsistence agriculture to large-scale production and processing. The primary goals included achieving food sovereignty and addressing the trade imbalance in food products. The Republic of Congo has been grappling with a trade deficit in agricultural products, with imports significantly outweighing exports.
Trade statistics are crucial for shaping economic diversification policies and assessing the impact of efforts to achieve food security and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in eradicating poverty, combating hunger, and promoting responsible consumption and production.
In this context, there was a need to develop comprehensive and high-quality statistics on the foreign trade of agro-food products, agricultural inputs, and equipment for the period 2014-2020. These updated statistics were intended to assist policymakers in developing agricultural policies, conducting monitoring and evaluation, and facilitating international comparisons.
Objectives
- Develop Comprehensive Trade Statistics: To compile and analyze detailed statistics on the foreign trade of agro-food products, agricultural inputs, and equipment from 2014 to 2020.
- Support Policy Development: To provide accurate data to help policymakers create effective agricultural policies and strategies for achieving food security.
- Facilitate Monitoring and Evaluation: To enable effective monitoring and evaluation of the agricultural sector’s performance and trade balance.
- Enable International Comparisons: To provide data that allows for comparisons with international standards and practices.
Solution
The solution involved the following steps:
- Data Collection: The primary source of micro-data was the General Directorate of Customs and Indirect Duties (DGDDI), which followed international norms based on the Harmonized System (HS) nomenclature for goods and FAO classification for food security.
- Data Organization: Data on agro-food products, agricultural inputs, and equipment were categorized into twenty-three product groups based on customs special trade data.
- Publication of Results: The data were organized into a comprehensive report, divided into two main sections—export data and import data—detailing the trade statistics for the specified period.
- Analysis and Interpretation: The report provided an analysis of trade trends, including the balance of trade in agro-food products, inputs, and equipment, highlighting the persistent trade deficit.
Results
- Trade Imbalance: For the period 2014-2020, the import value of agro-food products, agricultural inputs, and equipment totaled 2,611.556 billion FCFA, accounting for 22.50% of total imports (11,608.808 billion FCFA). In contrast, exports of these products were valued at only 45.262 billion FCFA, representing a mere 0.25% of total exports (17,946.970 billion FCFA).
- Persistent Deficit: Each year from 2014 to 2020, the trade balance for agro-food products, inputs, and equipment showed a significant deficit, indicating that imports consistently exceeded exports.
- Informed Policy Making: The detailed statistics provided valuable insights for policymakers to address the trade imbalance and work towards achieving the objectives of the National Agricultural Development Plans.
- Enhanced Monitoring: The report facilitated effective monitoring and evaluation of trade patterns, contributing to more informed decision-making in agricultural policy.
- International Comparisons: The data enabled comparisons with international standards, helping the Republic of Congo align its agricultural trade policies with global practices.
Overall, the development and publication of these trade statistics have been instrumental in supporting the Republic of Congo’s efforts to improve food security and achieve its agricultural development goals.
