ASSESSMENT OF THE POTENTIAL LEVEL OF FOOD TRADE IN THE ECOWAS REGION

The study assessed the potential level of food trade in the ECOWAS region. Data used for analysis were secondary in nature. The data, which were sourced from the data base of the Food and Agricultural Organization statistical database (FAOSTAT), covered a period of 43 years between 1970 and 2012. The study revealed that, between 1970 and 2012, food export by all the member countries represented 5.0% of the ECOWAS intra-regional trade. The study concluded that all countries of the region are yet to fully exploit their potentials in the trade of food commodities within the region. It was recommended that policy reforms that will promote intra-regional food trade such as the establishment of new bilateral trade agreements and the strengthening of the existing ones should be facilitated in all the ECOWAS member states.