DIGITAL INNOVATIONS FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND TRADE TO ENHANCE FOOD SECURITY UNDER AFCFTA

Job Description

1. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION In line with its mandate to support regional integration, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), through its Subregional Office for Eastern Africa (SRO-EA), is advancing work to accelerate progress on selected 2030 Sustainable Development Goals that are currently off track. This project focuses on the achievement of SDG 2 “Zero Hunger” by 2030, in a context where food insecurity persists due to constraints in agricultural systems, climate-related shocks, and fragmented markets. Digital innovations in food production and trade offer a practical pathway to strengthen food security by improving agricultural yields and production, enhancing market connectivity, reducing transaction costs, and enabling a more efficient allocation of food across the region. Agriculture remains an important pillar of African economies. It accounts for approximately 18% of GDP in Sub-Saharan Africa (2024), with significantly higher shares in several countries where the sector contributes over 30 to 40% of national GDP (World Bank, 2024). The sector is also the largest source of employment on the continent, with Africa recording the highest share of employment in agriculture globally, representing around 50% of total employment in 2023 (ILO, 2024). Despite its economic importance, food insecurity remains widespread across the continent. In 2022, approximately 282 million people in Africa i.e. around 20% of the population faced chronic undernourishment (FAO et al., 2023). This situation is further compounded by Africa’s significant dependence on food imports. The continent’s annual food import bill is estimated at US$110 billion by 2025, more than triple its 2015 level, highlighting a structural reliance on external food supplies (African Development Bank, 2023; UNECA, 2025).