The dairy industry in Sub-Saharan Africa has the potential to grow significantly. The demand for milk and dairy products is rising because of the region’s growing population. The region also has several strengths, including a favorable climate for dairy production and a large pool of potential dairy farmers.
Africa remains a net food importer and is vulnerable to the surge in global commodity prices and the disruption of the global supply chains. The spike in food prices, coupled with the consequences of the war in Ukraine, has immediate and long-term effects on food security in Africa. Likely, millions of people will be pushed into poverty and hunger due to the current global context, worsening the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Given the rapid spread of the outbreaks, local and national responses are not sufficient; it requires a regional, and even a continental, response. For maize—the main crop and staple food of most countries in the SADC region—production alone, the cost of losses is estimated at $3.06 billion.
